Do you read labels and packages? More and more manufacturers are putting on the front of their containers or packages “NO ARTIFICIAL COLORS”, “NO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS” AND “NO ADDITIVES”. Why do they feel the need to tell us this? They do it to set themselves apart from the companies that are adding these things to their products.

So many of our foods have artificial ingredients and even chemicals in them, that the companies that do not add these ingredients and chemicals are having to label that their products are free of them. On a continued basis our food is compromised in many ways. It is all for one reason, to sell their product. They elect to forget how unhealthy these additives are for us. When will companies responsible for providing us with our food, actually be held accountable for what they are doing to peoples health?

I am just like a kid when it it comes to bright beautiful colors. I love them. I noticed recently in my pantry I have several packages of plastic cups. There is one reason for my purchasing so many cups. They are all beautiful bright colors. Companies are adding bright colors to our food to attract us to them. This increases sells and they in turn can make more money. It seems the majority of these ARTIFICIAL COLORS are found in items children are drawn to. Cereal, candies, cookies, drinks and chips are some foods that have artificial colors added. Just wait until the Christmas holidays arrive. You will see the shelves full of red, green, and yellow chips, cookies, breads, candies and cakes. Over the past 50 years this practice has alarmingly increased.

Along with the increase of added artificial colors, teachers and psychiatrists have also seen an increase in attention and behavioral problems in children. In 1975 concerns were brought up about the yellow dye #5. This caused enough concern that the medical field took notice. Studies were done and books written concerning the effect of this color on children. A connection was found between yellow dye #5 and ADD that was being diagnosed to children who were showing signs of hyperactivity.

As years progressed so did concerns about other dyes and artificial colors in our food. Still the concerns involved effects children more than adults. As if artificial colors were not enough, preservatives were added also.

Officials in the United Kingdom ask manufacturers to stop using several different colors in their products. In Europe food companies were required to put a warning label on their foods containing dyes and artificial coloring. The warning label would read “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”

Along with the behavior and attention problems in children, adding artificial coloring and dyes to our food increases our chance of developing cancer. Rats that were given foods containing the red #3 dyes and artificial coloring developed thyroid cancer. The FDA recommended removing this dye from our food. However a well known company complained they needed this color to add to their food to make it look prettier and more appealing. The red #3 was allowed to stay in our food. Please read link below to see popular brands that have many added colors to their food. Some have several different colors added.

The bright colors also attract children and adults to choose foods that are not as healthy as foods that are more bland in color. Most of these artificially colored foods are high in calories and sugars, and do not contain needed nutrients.

Fast food restaurants are definitely not exempt from these foods. Many serve foods containing these additives, many do not. In the link below you will discover which fast food restaurants have banned these products and which ones happily serve them.

There are many colorful items found in nature that could give color to our foods. Here’s an idea. Put real strawberries in that breakfast bar to give it color. How about real blueberries to make our muffins have color and taste good. I don’t know if limiting a child’s intake of sugar and artificial coloring in their food would stop their behavior or attention problems. I do think it is worth trying it to see what happens.

Once again I am brought to the conclusion natural is always best in foods. I encourage you to read the labels on your food. Read it in its entirety to catch all the ingredients they really hope you will not notice. I also encourage you to follow the link below and completely read the information you will find there.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-rainbow-of-food-dyes-in-our-grocery-aisles-has-a-dark-side/2011/03/21/AFyIwaYB_story.html