Children’s birthday parties piss me off. I know. I can hear your thoughts – “What a monster!” Let me explain. Children are inherently dependent on adults to take care of them and to help them grow up to be physically and mentally strong enough to withstand the storms of life. Birthdays are a time to celebrate that life. What better way to celebrate a living being than to give it cancer and altered behavior through poor dietary choices? Hey, I get it. We all love colorful things. I love colorful things. That’s why I’ve created many organic recipes colored with natural plant powders – so you can have your cake and eat it too! (Without the cancer and enhanced ADHD.) This article is dedicated to exposing food coloring toxicity.
Fake news you say? Nope. I wish had made this up. My sources are of the highest authority, as you will see.
Food Coloring Toxicity
The US government flat-out tells you, “Artificial food dyes are made from petroleum.”
When I bring this up to people, they say things like, “Yeah, well it’s safe in small amounts.”
Is it though?
Food Coloring Causes Cancer
A lot of people assume that every food product on the shelf is safe to eat. I am not one of those people. Here’s why.
According to a scientific article on the National Library of Medicine, an official website of the US government, “all of the nine currently US-approved dyes raise health concerns of varying degrees. Red 3 causes cancer in animals, and there is evidence that several other dyes also are carcinogenic. Three dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) have been found to be contaminated with benzidine or other carcinogens. At least four dyes (Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) cause hypersensitivity reactions. Numerous microbiological and rodent studies of Yellow 5 were positive for genotoxicity.”
In addition, the article calls for regulatory authorities to remove all currently approved dyes from the shelves and replace them with “safer dyes,” as many countries have already done. For some reason, the FDA has banned certain dyes in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals but refuses to ban the dyes in food.
Fascinating.
Food Coloring and ADHD
Another article published by the National Library of Medicine tells us that, “diet, especially consumption of artificial food coloring, produces statistically significant increases in ADHD symptoms in children.” In addition, the article reveals that studies have shown Blue No. 1 dye “to affect neurodevelopment and hyperactive behavior,” in mice and rats. One of the concluding statements suggests “that dietary intervention, particularly the elimination of AFCs, should be considered for children with ADHD.”
Natural Food Coloring - Plant Based Food Coloring
As I said in the intro – I get it. You like colorful things. I like colorful things. Kids especially love colorful things! So, how can we have our colorful cake and eat it too? With natural, plant-based food coloring of course!
Below are just a few of the colorful creations I’ve made over the last few months!
Coming Soon - Organic Princess Cupcakes!
Thanks for Reading!
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