“It doesn’t affect all kids.” “It’s all bad for you.” “It won’t hurt.” These are only a few of the things I’ve heard people say when it comes to the ingredients used in our food. It amazes me how many people don’t really care what they are putting into their bodies, even when given the information. The hot topic right now is dye and artificial coloring in food. Is it bad for us? Is it affecting our children and how they behave? And so many more questions are being asked. Let’s take a dive into food dyes and why dye free candy is important to discuss.
Why is dye free important?
Being a kid, I never really knew about color dyes that are being put in the food and candy. I just knew I enjoyed the taste of candy and sweets.
Once I had children of my own, and food allergies were introduced into our lives, I became a lot more serious about understanding what’s in our foods and if we should be eating them.
Dye is one of the hardest ingredients to avoid because it is used in so many different ways. It is in things you never even thought there would be dye. Chips, sauces, juice, yogurt, cereal, cosmetics and so much more. It’s difficult to avoid but not impossible. The main goal is to make sure it’s not in our diets all day every day.
So, why is dye free important? It can reduce hyperactivity in children, improve attention span, and cause fewer allergic reactions. These are all potential impacts dyes can have on us but particularly children with ADHD.
Some children may even develop allergic reactions to certain dyes, which can cause hives, asthma, or other symptoms. The most common dye that is known to cause allergic reactions is Tartrazine (yellow No. 5). Being dye free also helps with food intolerance. Certain dyes can lead to symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches.
Certain dyes may also lead to chronic diseases later in life. If you are uncertain about food dyes do your own research and make the right decision for you and your family. Here are some articles to check out: NIH, Berkeley, and Food Dyes and Behavior.
Understanding food dyes.
When you are looking for food dyes you are looking for a color and a number, usually. The common dyes are listed below.
- Red No.40 (Allura Red)
- Yellow No. 5 (Tartrazine)
- Yellow No.6 (Sunset Yellow)
- Blue No. 1 (Brilliant blue)
- Blue No.2 (Indigo Carmine)
- Green No.3 (Fast Green)
- Red No. 3 (erythrosine)
These are called FD&C Colors. This stands for food, drug, and cosmetic colors approved by the FDA. It’s good to know both the color plus the number but also the “name” of them as well. If you take a look at the ingredients list on foods and candy, you’ll be surprised at how much food dye is really in food.
Know the difference between word phrases and their meanings. Such as, Artificial colors, color additives and certified colors. These phrases often indicate that synthetic or artificial dyes have been used.
When searching for a product you want to look for no artificial colors, organic certifications and non-gmo labels. Even though a product may list these claims continue to look at the ingredient list to be sure.
Where can I find dye free candy?
When I first started looking for dye free candy it was difficult. It still is difficult to find dye free candy in the major grocery stores. As I have done research, I have found a few companies that are dye free. Top brands are:
- Unreal candy
- YumEarth
- Surf Sweets
- Annie’s Homegrown
- Black Forest Organic
- Smart Sweets
- Alter Eco
Small businesses and specialty brands:
- Natural Candy store
- The Lovely Candy Company
- Indie Candy
- Wholesome Sweeteners
- Sweet Pete’s
- OCHO Candy
- Project 7
- Torie & Howard
These are just a few and ones that I found during my search for dye less candy. Those are quite a few brands to choose from but of course with the rise of food allergies and just the want and need for better quality there could always be more.
Making dye free candy at home
I have yet to try making candy at home. I have seen the gummy bear trays that are on Amazon and in Walmart, but I haven’t tried making any. They are on the list of things to make.
Making candy at home can be a fun experience for you and the kiddos. When making the candy you can use natural colors like, beet juice or powder, carrot juice, turmeric, spirulina extract, annatto, paprika, fruit and vegetable juice.
Depending on the type of candy you want to make of course will determine the ingredients and flavors you use. There are many types of candies and flavors to choose from. It all depends on what you and your family like. You can find recipes on the web and on Pinterest.
Where can I buy dye free candy?
There are many different places to buy this type of candy. There are physical stores, online stores, specialty, and grocery store.
The physical stores are: Whole Food Market, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts Farmers Market, Natural grocers, and co-op and health food stores. The online stores are Amazon, Thrive Market, Natural Candy Store, Vitacost, iHerb, and Lucky Vitamin.
Specialty stores you will find dye free candy is Sweet Pete’s, Torrie & Howard, and OCHO Candy. Kroger, Safeway/Albertsons, Wegmans, and Publix are the major grocery stores where the candy is located.
If you don’t have any physical stores around online is going to be the best bet. You can go straight to the online store of the company, or you could order off Amazon or store alike. Be careful when ordering online make sure you’re getting what you pay for any and all the time.
Tips for parents
I used to be so skeptical about trying the healthier candy. The dye free, artificial sweetener free candy. I was worried my kids wouldn’t enjoy it and I also myself was wondering if it would be at least similar in taste.
Regardless of whether we wanted to or not we were switching our candy. I slowly but surely started to introduce the healthier options and honestly just stopped buying what we couldn’t eat. As far as the milk and egg allergy.
I am going to be honest though, they do eat some candy that contains dyes, because of friends and family that are not aware of the affect dyes have on us. But I do make sure I put a limit on it. Family has been great about transitioning a lot of the food that we eat into their homes too.
Another tip is to make it fun and creative through making the candy together, tasting it, and letting the kids pick what kind of and they’d like to make or try.
Is there a movement toward cleaner candy?
Yes! There is a movement toward clean ingredients, natural colors, and organic ingredients. There is not a specific organization for this movement unfortunately. But there are a lot of people who are bringing more attention to removing dyes in our food.
A great person to check out is Vani Hari. She is known as the Food Babe and gives us great information about the foods, candies, and drinks we consume. Along with her are others advocating for clear labeling, environmental sustainability, fair trade practices and more. Feingold has information on why removing dyes could be important. There is a huge list at the effects it can have on our bodies.
Other than the resources I give you, check out your local library or bookstore for books on health and nutrition. Many of them will talk about food dyes and artificial coloring.
At the end of the day…
Getting away from dyes completely is hard in the society we live in. But it is possible to limit our consumption. we can do this by becoming more aware of what we feed ourselves and our children. Start reading labels and stop buying the foods that are no good for us.
Everyone won’t support or agree with you, but that’s okay. Do your research and make the best decisions for you and your family. Honestly, the dye free candy tastes just as great if not better. You can do this and remember it’s not a race and you don’t have to cut everything off at one time.
Let’s talk!
If you know of any great places to find dye free candy or even great recipes you would like to share, please share them in the comments. I need some more ideas and speaking for those of us that like to bake and cook, we love trying new recipes.
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Check out this article on what ingredients you should avoid and why.
Talk soon!
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