I recommend minimizing food dyes in your kids’ diets. And if there is a cancer risk in your family, I would encourage you to be even more vigilant in avoiding artificial dyes.
These four strategies can help you limit how much artificial food dye your kids consume:
1. Read labels
Shoot for foods that use
natural food coloring from fruit and vegetable extracts. Beets, blueberry juice or beta carotene are good alternatives.
Child medications (think liquid cough syrups or chewable tablets) can also contain food dyes, so look for dye-free versions.
2. Go for homemade
You have complete control when you make food yourself. If you need to bring a dessert into school, consider a chocolate chip cookie or a sugar cookie you won’t need to frost. If you have to frost something, choose dyes from a natural food store.
3. Focus on whole foods
Foods that come in a package are processed and almost always contain food dyes. Limit processed foods whenever possible.
4. Emphasize healthy choices
Avoid giving your kids processed foods for as long as possible. Once kids are used to eating these foods, it can be hard to get them off of it.
When you do encounter foods with dyes, talk to your kids about why brightly colored foods may not be the best choice for their bodies. If your kids go to a party, encourage them to choose apple juice over a sports drink or soda. And always model good behavior when you’re around your kids.
To know more about
dyes and pigments, go-to
food dye manufacturers.
