As the saying goes, “you are what you eat”! This might well be true as research begins to reveal that some of the ingredients used in food may be the cause of disease in children.

In the age of processed foods, some food manufacturers have been utilising artificial colouring in order to make their products look attractive to the consumer and some of these colourings have been proven to be really bad for us!

Food dyes have been particularly used in products that target children. After all, it is more appealing to eat a rainbow coloured brand of cereal over a plain brown one.

According to an article in Forbes, the safety of products containing artificial colours has been a point of debate for decades – adversaries claiming that they are toxic, carcinogens and contributors to ADHD.

Here are some of the dangerous colours to look out for:

Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue) – found primarily in baked goods, beverages, and cereals. It caused kidney tumors in laboratory mice.

Blue #2 (Indigo Carmine) – colorant in candies, pet food, and other items. Shown to cause brain tumors in rats.

Green #3 (Fast Green) – found in many cosmetics, candy, and drugs. Increases tumors of the bladder and testes in male rats.

Red #3 (Erythrosine) – colors maraschino cherries, baked goods, and candy. Banned by the FDA for causing thyroid tumors when used in externally applied cosmetics and topical drugs.

Red #40 (Allura Red) – the most widely used dye found in cereals, desserts, drugs, and cosmetics. Accelerates immune system tumors in mice and triggers allergic reactions and hyperactivity in children.

Yellow #5 (Tartrazine) – found in any number of baked goods, cereal, gelatin products, and dessert powders. Causes severe hypersensitivity and triggers hyperactivity disorders and other behavioral issues in children.

Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow) – Used in beverages, desserts, gelatin, candy, and even sausage. Found to cause adrenal tumors and trigger severe hyperactivity in children.

For more information, please see here.