The L.A. Times recently wrote about the effect food dyes have on children. Previously, most studies have focused on the effects of sugar, but there may be more to it. Ever wonder why there seems to be increasing behavior problems in children? Think about how much more processed, artificial food is eaten these days.
From the article:
Meskin also says that the studies so far haven’t been precise enough to pinpoint which artificial colors may have problems. It’s unlikely, he says, that all of them would have the same effect on the brain since they are chemically different and derived from different ingredients — some from petrochemicals and others from coal tar.
Mmmmm, petrochemicals and coal tar. It goes on:
New York psychiatrist Schab says the study was the most damning yet in linking artificial food colors to hyperactivity. The degree of observed differences in behavior by eliminating the dyes and preservative, he says, could be enough to lead some parents not to seek medication such as Ritalin for their child.
Isn’t it scary that we’re feeding ourselves and our children substances that we then need to counteract with medication? You know why cows are given antibiotics? It is so we can feed them corn, which they otherwise cannot ingest.
Interestingly, if you read the comments, EVERYONE seems to agree and many offer their own anecdotes regarding their success in changing their children’s behavior through subtle dietary shifts (staying away from certain dyes).
In my own personal experience, eating birthday cake at the office had a huge impact on the way I felt for the rest of the day. I blamed it on the sugar, but have since noticed that I am able to eat homemade desserts with relatively little repercussions. Could it have been the dye in the frosting?
For such a scientific and progressive country, it worries me when other countries ban things first.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree that the additives in that birthday cake were the likely culprits. I remember growing up in the 1940s and 1950s and eating way too much sugar (just ask my dentist) but nobody talked about “ADHD” back then.
When my kids were growing up they were able to handle the sugar, but not the synthetic additives. (By the way, most of the dyes in our food start out at petroleum refineries in China!)
Happily, you can indulge your sweet tooth without having to ingest petrol. The Feingold Association researches foods and publishes books listing foods of all kinds that are free of the worst of the additives, including candy and junk food of all types. See http://www.ADHDdiet.org.
I know people that avoid all food dyes. I think it would be too hard. We try to eat healthy around our house and we avoid artificial sweeteners, but I think I would drive myself and my family crazy if we avoided everything we’re told to avoid.
Angie, maybe it doesn’t have to be black and white? Just avoid as much as you can without having to turn your life upside down.