Food we eat is not nutritious though it’s filled with enticing colors. Food colors can harm your health, so concerning this U.S Food and Drug Administration allowed only few selected and safe food additives. Coming to yellow dye, only two variations are approved this organization one is Yellow dye No. 5 or tartrazine and second type is Yellow dye No. 6.
You’ll be shocked that every delicious item you eat contains yellow dye. Though it can trigger allergic reaction in few people, most of them are don’t experience any reaction; reports say that only 2 to 7 percent of people are allergic to food additives.
But, the problems caused by yellow dye can’t be ignored, few serious reactions such as, behavioral changes of your child, rashes or hives over skin, depression, sleepless nights, asthma and cancer.
As it has no nutritional value and can host lots of health problems, it’s recommended to get out of foods with yellow dye.
Foods with Tartrazine & Yellow Dye 6
Yellow dye #5 is second most used food dye in US. Don’t assume that only yellow color foods include this dye, but few white cup cakes also contain yellow dye as its ingredient.
Note: Yellow dye is made from coal tar.
Let me list them down here.
- Colored chips
- Cheese flavored pudding and sweets
- Cereals
- Waffles
- Powdered chicken broth
- Lemon Jello
- Pasta
- Pickles
- Store brought yogurt
- Ice creams
- Cup cakes
- Flavored milk
- Soft drinks
- Orange cheese
- Frosting
- Pancake mix
- Crackers
- Starburst
- Froot Loops
Often these artificial dyes are found in processed foods. Fruits, vegetables and meat are free from these harmful food dyes. When you visit a restaurant, make sure to ask ingredients in the food. Else you can try online to check the ingredients list of that particular item.
Don’t be in a wrong assumption that eating fruits in restaurant will keep you away from food dyes. Most worrying thing is even medicines include this food dye. If you’re allergic to yellow dye, then make sure to ask for ingredients.
The yellow vitamin capsules you take, gets its color from yellow dye. Am not sure why they include such harmful dye in medicines, may be to attract children.
Foods, medicines and now personal care creams, even they include this dye. According to Cancer Prevention Coalition, artificial colors like yellow dye #5 and yellow dye #6 can cause cancer. Products like hand soap, mouth wash, toothpaste, shampoo, body wash, hair conditioner, shaving cream, salves and cosmetic moisturizers include artificial food dye.
You can find list of personal care products with yellow dye #5 and #6 here and here.
Even if you’re not sensitive to yellow dye, will you like to feed your children coal tar? Which has nothing to do give but dangerous disease to few people?
How to avoid food dyes
Food dyes are capable of causing allergic reaction in you as well as it does not have any nutritional health benefits. In order to avoid yellow dye 5 and yellow dye 6 follow the below point
- Yellow dye is mainly present in processed foods, avoid having processed food items.
- Always read the ingredient label carefully before making any purchase.
- Choose natural colors instead artificial colors.
- Reduce or stop consuming processed food items.
- Avoid any ingredient that contains number.
- Always buy fresh fruits instead of the one which is preserved.
- Replace your tooth paste, shampoo and other products with that of dye free.
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