Would you like some dye with that???

Pick up any package in the grocery store and you’ll find the words “artificial color” or “color added” listed amongst the ingredients. Or you’ll find the letters “FD&C” followed by a color and a number. What does this mean? It means that the item contains food dye. You can’t pick up a product without seeing these words… unless it is organic. Even products that say 100% All Natural can contain food dye. Why is this???

It’s cosmetic!! The color is added just to make the food “look pretty” or “more appetizing”. Manufacturers have romanced us for years with these color enhanced products. And those of us with children are inundated with brightly colored cereals, drinks, and snacks targeted specifically to them.

Manufacturers have filled our shelves with magical rainbows and cereals that change colors when you add the milk. Eating is now an entertaining event! There’s just one problem… artificial additives tend to be harmful when consumed in large amounts and over long periods of time. Some additives can even cause problems immediately and we are not aware of it.

Earlier this year, we went through a very trying experience. First, my sons behavior began to change. He became a bit of a challenge, even defiant. We attributed it to his adjusting to being in school/day care for the first time in his four years. Then, one day he started breaking out in hives. They just would not go away. His doctor told us it was a virus some children his age get and it would pass after about 2 weeks. Well a month later he continued to break out in hives all over his body. After many long and stressful weeks I discovered the source of the problem. He was reacting to the artificial colorings found in our food and drinks.

Was this something new? No. The FDA is well aware of the effects food colorings and other additives have or can have on us. But unless it is something severe they will continue to allow companies to use them. Unless we push them to make a change. Earlier this month, groups petitioned the FDA to ban some food colorings because of their link to behavior problems in children. Imagine how many children in the U.S. have been diagnosed ADD/ADHD and have been placed on drug and behavior modification regimens. Now, imagine how many children have been placed on those regimens unnecessarily and their problem can be corrected simply by removing color additives from their diets.

Below are some sources and related articles that I have discovered along our journey:

www.cspinet.org/new/200806022.html
www.feingold.org/effects.html
www.truthout.org/article/chemical-food-additives-are-they-slowly-killing-our-children
www.foodadditivesworld.com

I now keep my son to a 95% all natural and organic diet. The other 5% is for the occasional meal out, party with friends, or any other situation where I cannot control the food. In the middle of this trying experience I discovered and fell in love with Wildtree, Inc. because of their commitment to providing healthy meal solutions for families with children like mine, or those that simply want better food options.