Red Dye Allergy: What’s All The Controversy?
Do you know what the red tint is? Yes, of course, it is a food coloring. But what else do you know about it? Do you know that there is a controversy around him? According to some doctors, it is simply a benign additive, but parents have found that their children are experiencing unhealthy results when consuming it.
So what is the red tint? Red dye or Red 40, as it is commonly known, is an FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved colorant that is added to a large amount of foods. Usually we don’t even realize that so much of our food is artificially colored. And it’s not just food; many medications are also colored.
How do you do it? It is made from crude oil extracted from the ground in Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.
Why is it added? It is used in the belief that it makes food and medicine more attractive. For example, people love to eat ripe red apples, strawberries, or other red fruits. Our minds are convinced that if a food or drug is red, it can be delicious and good for us too. Very often products in their original form may not be very palatable and Red 40 is a very cost effective way to achieve a pleasing color. Something that attracts the consumer is very important.
It is safe? When it was first approved by the FDA, there were many fears that it could cause tumors and cancers. In fact, one scientist cited a study that showed that an animal fed Red 40 will become seriously ill and a combination of Red with other colors or preservatives will kill it. It was later shown not to cause cancer, but I have not heard of any follow-up studies that prove or disprove the problem in animals.
But doesn’t the FDA say it’s safe? It does, but it also said Viox was safe (causes heart attacks and strokes), and Paxil was safe (caused increased anxiety in teens that led to increased risk of suicide), and many others; all of which have been recalled. Remember, the FDA is a highly underfunded organization. It is based on the fees you charge for testing companies’ products. With this money he hires contractors and in many cases relies on the companies’ own testing procedures.
Does Red 40 cause problems in children? Many doctors insist that any change in behavior is not due to this dye. They point to the controversy over sugar. Many parents will attest that their children will become extremely hyperactive after ingesting a lot. These doctors have said that there is no evidence that sugar has any adverse effects. And as with sugar, many parents see changes in their children after eating a product containing Red 40. After experiencing the results, some doctors are finally on the mend.
Can the red dye really affect children like this? According to Dr. Robert Needlman, “about 1 in 100, they were clearly much more active and out of control” when consuming an artificial diet that included Red 40. But most of the evidence is anecdotal. There are many parents who can tell you what you can do to their children. I can tell you what it does to my son. He has some of the reactions these parents describe.
What does “out of control” mean? Children can have many different reactions to Red 40, including increased tantrums, increased hyperactivity, aggressive behavior, uncontrollable crying and screaming, kicking, nervousness, and other things parents can attest to. Physically, they may have headaches or feel bad after eating anything that contains it. Adults can also feel sick or have migraines.
How can we tell if a child has a reaction to red 40? This is easy. Observe your child’s habitual behavior. Do you have tantrums? Notice how violent it is. See any of the other “out of control” behaviors listed above. Then feed it a juice containing Red 40; there are several different ones on the market. Reactions can occur in minutes. Do you have your usual temper tantrums? Is it getting more and more violent? They get sick? Needlman believes this type of testing is safe. Looking at how my son reacts, I’m not sure I fully agree with this.
Why don’t people believe all of this? Probably because they haven’t seen any “scientific evidence” to support these problems. Most of what we read are anecdotes told by parents or people who have experienced it first hand. People’s initial reaction is to blame parents for “bad parenting” or for misinterpreting the “normal” events of children. The problem is, they haven’t even observed a child (or adult) react to Red 40. When I describe my son’s reaction to people, everyone tends to make fun of me until they actually see what happens to him; then they understand.