Food Tip: Avoid Artificial Colors in Children’s Cereal

by Shereen Jegtvig

Food experts have been pushing for a ban of artificial food colorings (or at least a warning label on products that contain artificial colors) for at least a year, according to foodnavigator.com. Several studies, including a study published in The Lancet in 2007, show consumption of artificial colorings triggers hyperactivity in children.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest requested that warning labels be required on products that contain the following artificial colors: Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3, and Yellow 6. The labels would be on all foods, but especially important for foods marketed to children.

Lots of children eat breakfast cereal every morning. You can imagine how difficult it must be for a child to concentrate on their studies when their body has been loaded up with artificial colorings. You don’t need to feed your children these artificial colors.

You can use our FoodEssentials widget to analyse cereals for artificial colors, such as Red 40. As you can see below, ten children’s cereals do not contain artificial color Red 40 (or other artificial dyes).

The Center for Science in the Public Interest did not include natural food colorings such as food extracts, beta-carotene or vitamin C in their petition.

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