Eliminate this from your child’s diet

Would you feed your child something that has been found by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) to “pose some risks…should not be allowed in the food supply”? 

Of course not! But chances are you have…and probably this week, if not today.

You’ve heard about all of the dangers of artificial dyes in the foods we eat. You’ve probably read a Huffington Post piece, thought I should be more mindful of the food I buy for the kids and never thought about it again. Or you’ve taken the “everything in moderation” approach and occasionally let your children enjoy some Skittles. 

But is that “taste of the rainbow” worth it?

The daily acceptable intake of yellow #5, according to the CSPI, is 150mg/day. The problem? Take a look at a bag of those Skittles. How much yellow #5 does it contain? It doesn’t say, it’s only listed as one of the ingredients. So it’s virtually impossible to measure how much artificial dyes your child is ingesting on any given day.

Yellow #5 – also known as Tartrazine – has been linked to the following:

• Allergies
• Asthma
• Skin rashes
• Migraines
• Hyperactivity (ADHD)
• Lymphomas

A few interesting facts to know about yellow #5 is that it’s actually made from coal tar and has been banned from most European countries. And in the U.S., the FDA has completely banned the use of Yellow #1, #2, #3, and #4 (as well as Orange #1 and Red #2). 

Take a look in your pantry. You’ll find that yellow #5 is found in many cookies, frosting, cereal, pickles, ice cream, chips, salad dressing and cheese. Some brands you may be familiar with include:

• Kraft Macaroni & Cheese
• Doritos
• Kool Aid
• Jello
• M&M’s
• Quaker Life Cereal
• Gatorade
• Cheese Nips
• Eggo Waffles
• Sun Chips
• Pop Tarts

The chemicals used in yellow #5 have also been shown to cause mild to severe hypersensitivity reactions and damage nerve cells. One study found that when you combine tartrazine and aspartame (a common artificial sweetener) it can be toxic. 

The study by the CSPI – Food Dyes: a Rainbow of Risks – was done in 2010 and is available online for all to read. I highly recommend it, as well as my webinar “The Food Connection to Your Child’s Behavior”.

How do you feel about artificial food coloring – or more specifically, yellow #5?

Want to detox your family’s food? Join my 10-Day Detox where you will learn how enjoy real, anti-inflammatory food while making your family’s health a priority.

Leann Forst, MBA, CHC — Family Health & Cancer Coach

Leann is a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, holding a Master’s degree from Drake University and a Bachelor of Science from Upper Iowa University. Leann is accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. And she is an award winning author of 2 books “How to Get Your Kids to Beg for Veggies” and “100 Ways to Lose Weight.”

Born and raised as an Iowa farm girl, she moved to Texas in 1998 where she lives with her husband and 2 kids.

As a wife of a brain cancer survivor, Leann has a special interest in anti-cancer nutrition and detoxification. She works with individuals and groups, and speaks regularly at hospitals, schools and organizations to teach people how to attain optimal health by getting to the root cause of chronic and inflammatory conditions, while using healing modalities such as essential oils. Click here to get my free report, “37 Cancer Facts You Should Know…But Probably Don’t”

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.

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