Food Dyes and Hyperactivity

I have been hearing about food dyes causing all sorts of problems in children since my training days, chief among them hyperactivity.  I have read myriad of studies on this subject.   The studies that show a relationship suffer from poor study design, small sample size, subjectivity and atypical intervention protocols.  As a result, the vast majority of the medical community does not accept their conclusions.  I also have heard from a number of my parents that swear that diet intervention has made a tremendous difference with their children's behavior. 

Now, this topic has again come to the forefront because a consumer group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, wants the government to ban artificial dyes.  Manufacturers state the dyes are safe.  A government advisory panel, after reviewing the available studies, stated that at this time the foods do not need any special warning labels.  They also recommended that the  FDA should further study the issue because it appears that there may be some problems in children who already have hyperactivity.  The ball is now in the FDA's court.   To mix my sports metaphors, I find this topic more controversial than getting in the middle of a discussion between two fans on who has a better team: the NY Yankees or the Boston Red Sox.  I do know that until well-designed, double-blinded studies are done, it is hard to make scientific justifications for taking certain positions on the dyes (and that this LA girl will always be a Dodger fan!)

That does not mean I cannot take a reasonable position.  I try to be practical in my approach to life.  I don't feel I have the answer on whether or not artificial dyes cause children to be hyperactive.  But looking at food with the dyes objectively, I know that I don't want to give children many of those foods.  If we look at the blog I posted on Experimental Eating, I doubt anyone would give their children to eat, never mind spend money on, dirt.  It just does not seem like a natural foodstuff to me.  I do understand why a child would put some of the things I have pictured here in their mouths - that is what they do.  But is there a reason you are serving those worms or yellow "sticks" to your kid?

There are alternatives to artificial dyes.  Sure, kids like snacks.  And yes, I did buy my kid snacks.  I didn't always have time to make them.  (although see below for a story about a snack I made and the dye I put in!)  Yesterday, I went to the grocery store and I scoured the shelves.  I found a number of things that fit into the criteria of junk food and no artificial dyes.  In each picture I have one with no artificial dyes and one with artificial dyes.  I recommend that if you are going to buy this stuff, get the one without the dyes.   If we all start doing this, then whether or not the studies are ever funded, perhaps the manufacturers will have a financial incentive to stop using artificial dyes.  It can be done. 

I don't need the FDA to ban dirt to tell me not to feed dirt children.  If I find things that look unnatural, I do not need the FDA to tell me it is not food.  So how did we start believing that these things were edible?  Why have we lost our common sense?  Any ideas out there?


Halloween Frosting
One Halloween I did not buy an artificial, chemical black dye in time to frost the cookies I had made.  All the stores were out.  So I ended up with a natural substitute that worked better.  I have given toddlers activated charcoal for years for all the poisons that they have eaten.  It is tasteless, but it turns everything black.  I put a small amount in my sugar cream frosting (much less than I would give a baby at one sitting).  I frosted 60 cookies.  It worked great and was much safer than what I had done in the past.