By Sarah Sliman
Okay Moms, it’s time to get serious. Every single day, our children are being put in danger. Their health is at stake and their lives are being put on the line. We cannot just sit back and watch this happen anymore. It’s time to put our foot down and stop the madness. Has your child ever had Kraft Macaroni and Cheese? Fruit Snacks? Fruit Loops? Nutri-Grain Bars? Fiber One Bars? Frostings? FLINTSTONES VITAMINS? If you answered yes to any of these foods, then you must continue reading.
Artificial dyes are a common ingredient that the FDA continuously allows in our everyday food. It makes our foods pretty colors and this helps products mimic the color of bright fruits and veggies. These dyes make foods appealing to kids and make them giddy at the thought of eating red, green and blue foods that taste delicious, are sweet and look cool. Well, let’s look past the pretty colors and focus more on what makes up these dyes that are staining our food. Take a deep breath; what you are about to read next will make you cringe.
These dyes are made from the same petroleum that fuels our vehicles. Yes, petroleum. The same dyes that are in Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Minute Maid Lemonade, Lunchables, Cheetos, and Fruit Roll-Ups are made from the same substance that is allowing us to drive from Point A to Point B. If that isn’t enough, they have linked these dyes directly to cancer. There is scientific evidence that these dyes contain carcinogens (any substance that is an agent directly involved in causing cancer) and we are then consuming these carcinogens.
There have also been direct links to hyperactivity in children and this has a negative impact on their ability to learn. So, the food we are feeding our kids is having a huge effect on their brain, their learning capabilities, and their attention span. Why has the FDA allowed this to be present in our foods?
Let’s take a boat ride over to the United Kingdom. Why aren’t they eating these same life-threatening chemicals? After several studies showing how dangerous these dyes are, the U.K. decided to require that any food with any of these ingredients must have a warning label on the package that states, “May have an adverse effect on activity and attention of children.” Because of this newly enforced policy, the U.K. branches of Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, Kraft, and Mars have removed artificial colors, sodium benzoate, and aspartame from their products since putting a warning label on food probably would deter consumers from purchasing it.
Moms, this is where we come in. This is not a lost cause for us Americans, but if we continue to purchase and support these companies, there will be no reason for them to change anything about their products. We can create the same change as the U.K. in our own country. With 51 million moms waking up each morning to the dangerous toxins present in our children’s lives, we have the upper hand because of our numbers. It’s time to vote with our credit cards, refuse to purchase these products, and find alternative products that choose not to include such harmful chemicals in their foods. Yes, it may be slightly more expensive, but the lives of our children are worth those extra dollars. Our children represent 30% of our current population and they also represent 100% of our future. So while the FDA might not find value in their lives, we do. It’s time to take a stand. Start today!
Alternative brands to consider purchasing
- Annie’s
- Earth Balance
- Kind Bars
- Lara Bars
- Cascadian Farm Organic
- Uncle Sam (cereals)
- Bob’s Red Mill
Dyes In Food
