The Truth About Food Dyes

You may have never given much thought to the bright colors in your favorite foods, but the truth about synthetic food dyes is alarming. Despite being banned in several other countries, many of these dyes are still widely used in the United States without proper warning labels. From breakfast cereals to medications, artificial dyes are everywhere, and research continues to link them to serious health concerns. With links to hyperactivity, inflammation, immune system disruption, and even DNA damage, these additives pose risks that far outweigh any visual appeal they bring to our food. Understanding the risks and knowing where to find these dyes is the first step toward making informed choices for yourself and your family.

What are synthetic dyes?

Synthetic dyes are made from petroleum, which is the substance that is extracted from the Earth and processed into gasoline, kerosene and diesel oil. Petroleum contains benzene, which is a known carcinogen. Benzene is a chemical solvent and is used to make dyes, plastics, resins and more. Heavy metals like aluminum and other toxins also find their way into the process. Toxins can accumulate in our bodies over time and can cause a host of medical issues.

Where can you find them?

We usually see dyes in ultra-processed foods like candy, cereal, sodas and medications (this includes cough syrup and prescription pills). The dyes are meant purely to make the food or product look better (or in the case of prescriptions, to distinguish pills from each other). Despite being banned or requiring warning labels in other countries, many dyes are still found in products sold in the United States and no warning labels have been mandated.

How much artificial dye is found in common foods?

Purdue University conducted research to discern the amounts of artificial food dyes in popular foods, which were not specifically known before the study. The dyes are listed as required on the packaging, but the amounts are not.

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese – 17.6 mg per serving
M&M’s Milk Chocolate – 29.5 mg per serving
Trix – 36.4 mg per serving
Kool-Aid Burst Cherry – 52.3 mg per 8 oz serving
Target Mini Green Cupcakes (Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 6, and Red 40) – 55.3 mg of artificial dyes per serving, the highest level found in any food by this study

Wasn’t Red Dye No. 3 banned recently?

Yes, but companies have until 2027 to be compliant with foods and 2028 for medications. Until then, we must read labels to avoid it ourselves. Many companies create the same product for other countries without the dyes. Instead, you’ll see natural colorings like carrot, beet and turmeric. In other countries, they must put a warning label on their products if they contain artificial coloring—which they don’t want to do—so they have changed the recipes.

In the US, by law, if there is a synthetic dye present, it must be listed with the color and the number, like Red Dye No. 3. Other countries use additional names. For example, Red 40 in the European Union is called E129 or Allura Red AC. Red Dye No. 3 can show up as Red #3, FD&C Red No. 3, erythrosine or E127.

Are artificial colors used in other products?

Yes, in addition to foods and medications, synthetic dyes can be found in cosmetics, self-care items like shampoo and soap, and household items like cleaners.

What medical problems are linked to consumption of artificial colors?

A University of Southampton study linked artificial Red 40 and a few other dyes to hyperactivity in children. Dyes can cause inflammation, particularly in the gut. Gut inflammation causes a host of medical issues and particularly affects the behavior of kids struggling with ADD/ADHD and other neurological issues.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest writes: “Clinical trials have shown that modest percentages of children are affected by doses up to 35 mg of mixtures of synthetic coloring, with larger percentages generally being affected by doses of 100 mg or more. The amount of dye that is needed to trigger reactions in the most sensitive children is not known.”

The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) performed a 2022 meta-analysis of 25 studies (a meta-analysis is the statistical combination of results from two or more separate studies), 16 out of the 25 studies linked artificial dyes to neuro-behavioral issues in children.

A 2015 study linked food dyes to immune system disruption. According to a recent article by Dr. Mercola, “Research indicates Red Dye No. 3 disrupts thyroid hormone regulation, promotes thyroid tumor formation and impacts brain function through increased oxidative stress and neuroinflammation.”

One of the most concerning properties of food dyes is their link to DNA damage and genotoxicity. Genotoxicity is the property of chemical agents that damage the genetic information within a cell causing mutations, which may lead to cancer. Once your DNA is permanently changed, then those mutations are passed on to the next generation. Red 3, Red 40 and Yellow 6 have been linked to DNA damage, tumors and cancer in animal studies. Yellow 5 was associated with oxidative stress, an accumulation of which can cause DNA damage.

How can I remove dyes from my environment without feeling overwhelmed?

Now that you know where dyes come from, what they can do to our health and why we should avoid them, you probably want to cast them out of your life! It can be an overwhelming process.

As we go through our day, we do things unconsciously, out of habit—especially when grocery shopping. It saves us a lot of time to see our usual brands and grab them. (Ever wonder why companies spend millions of dollars on advertising? Imprinting their brand in your brain is one reason!) When you’re new to something like eliminating food dyes, it can feel extremely overwhelming at the grocery store, because as you pick up each box, you must read everything—and most people realize with a shock just how many items have dyes in them.

Make a commitment to see what you have in your house. Just go room by room, starting with your pantry and your refrigerator, and then to your laundry room, bathroom and medicine cabinet. Personal care products tend to include dyes as well (anything that you put in or on your body like toothpaste, deodorant, shampoos, conditioners, soaps for kids—all those fun-colored products). Even toys like bathtub markers have dyes in them. You might want to throw away everything that have dyes in them. If you’re not in that position, then at least write down everything you want to replace with a healthier option. Remember, nothing takes the place of making your own meals and snacks, but having a few trusted brands makes it easier.

Pro Tips for Prioritizing

Go room by room. Where do you want to start? What feels most comfortable? Where do you think you’ll see the most effect?
Most parents like to start with the pantry, because that’s where the snacks are. Create a little box for school with fun treats and snacks, so your kids don’t feel left out during snack time at school.
Prescription medicines are harder to replace. You must work with your doctor. That might be a to-do, but not a right-this-second to-do.
Celebrate those wins! If you switched out your cereal, that’s huge! If your kids eat cereal every single morning for breakfast, that’s much less food dye they’re going to be taking in daily. Think about it, if you make one small change every day, by the end of the year, you’d have 365 small wins that will add up to the lifestyle you’re looking to achieve. Even if you implemented one per week, that’s 52 wins per year!
You can work with a health coach for some help if you’re finding the process too daunting by yourself.

This process is different for everybody, depending on where your health and wellness stand. If you have a child who’s struggling, you might want to prioritize everything that affects them first.

Is it worth it to see if food dyes are affecting my child? If so, how do I figure it out?

Parents should record behaviors and other factors to determine what’s affecting their child. So, if your child has a meltdown, write down what they have just eaten. Note their sleeping pattern and social pattern. When you document in this way, eventually you’ll start to find patterns. Within those patterns, you’ll be able to see if the behaviors are possibly linked to food, sleep or other factors. Monitoring your child’s behavior is key, along with talking to your pediatrician. If you suspect synthetic dyes are a contributor, eliminate them from your child’s life for 30 days and see what happens.

There is a precedent for this. A study was done for kids that have ADD / ADHD symptoms. The 300 participants did not consume gluten, dairy, soy, corn and dyes, and after three months, 72% no longer met the ADHD criteria.

Sign the Petition to End the Use of Synthetic Dyes in Florida Schools

There are no nutritional benefits to synthetic food dyes, and plenty of research to convince us that there’s harm involved. But what can we do to prevent our kids from ingesting food dyes when we’re not around to inspect the packaging, especially for younger kids? The one place our children go every day where we don’t have control—or a choice—is school.

Integrative health coach and mid-life mama bear, Robin Jonas, who helped us with this article, is advocating to ban synthetic food dyes in Florida schools. From her research into Seminole County’s school menus, many food items contain bioengineered food, chemicals, etc. There were some pre-covid initiatives to eliminate dyes, but they’ve largely been stalled, according to the communication she’s had with county officials. She currently has a meeting scheduled with State Representative Jonathan Martin to discuss legislation in Florida. We encourage you to sign her petition.

Note, Senate Bill (SB) 560: Chemical Additives in Food Products has been passed by the Agriculture Committee as of 3/3/25. It is now in the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government. Robin reports that some adjustments will be made, as it’s reviewed in this next step. It is not only banning dyes in schools, but 21 additives will be banned from any food establishment across the state!

Sign Robin’s online petition to ban artificial dyes (it takes 30 seconds): https://www.change.org/bandyesinschools

The Make America Healthy Again organization also has a petition to ban food dyes: https://www.mahaaction.com/petitions

Watch To Dye For: The Documentary

Conclusion

The evidence against synthetic food dyes is too strong to ignore. While eliminating dyes from your environment may seem overwhelming at first, small steps can lead to major changes over time. By becoming aware of what’s in our food, reading labels carefully, and advocating for change, we can protect our health and that of future generations. Every step toward a dye-free lifestyle is a win—one that can lead to lasting improvements in well-being and quality of life.

Special thanks to Robin Jonas, Integrative Health Coach and Mid-life Mama Bear, for her help with this article. Her coaching service, Live Life Balanced with Robin, specializes in helping people build lasting health habits without overwhelm or restrictive diets. To connect with Robin, call 407-927-0923. Visit her website to sign up for her email list, download free handy guides (there’s one for swapping healthier pantry items), listen to interesting podcasts, and more! https://livelifebalancedwithrobin.com