Kraft Mac and Cheese has really been in the spotlight lately, and not in a good way. The adorable Vani over at Food Babe has been on a mission to get Kraft to remove the artificial dyes, specifically Yellow 5 and Yellow 6, from their beloved blue box. So, why the big uproar over food dyes? Haven't we been eating out of the blue box since we were kids? Yes, but it's time for a change and here's why:
Artificial Food Dyes are:
-Man-made in a lab with chemicals derived from petroleum, which is also used in gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt, and tar - mmmmmm, delish!
-Found in nine different forms in the US, however Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 make up 90% of the market.
-Found in nine different forms in the US, however Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 make up 90% of the market.
-Banned in countries like Austria and Norway. The UK is phasing them out and requires a warning label on foods containing dyes. A warning label!
-Linked to hyperactivity in children and can have a negative impact on their learning
-Linked to long-term health problems such as asthma, skin rashes, and migraines
The craziest thing about these dyes is that they add absolutely no nutritional value to foods, nor do they add any sort of flavor. The Kraft Mac and Cheese sold in the UK does not have any dyes and it looks and tastes just like the blue box stuff you get in the US.
This is a fascinating experiment done by a sixth grader for his science fair project. Basically he trained his mice to run through a maze for three weeks. Then he added Yellow 5 to the water to see if it would change the time it took them to get through the maze. The mice were able to make it though the maze in 20 seconds with just plain water, but when the dye was added the mice became disoriented and it took them nearly 10 times as long to get through the maze. One mouse even became aggressive and attacked his cage mate. No wonder our kiddos seem so out of it at times!!!
This is a fascinating experiment done by a sixth grader for his science fair project. Basically he trained his mice to run through a maze for three weeks. Then he added Yellow 5 to the water to see if it would change the time it took them to get through the maze. The mice were able to make it though the maze in 20 seconds with just plain water, but when the dye was added the mice became disoriented and it took them nearly 10 times as long to get through the maze. One mouse even became aggressive and attacked his cage mate. No wonder our kiddos seem so out of it at times!!!
So, what can you do?
READ the labels on everything you buy. You'd be shocked where you will find dyes. I was visiting my parents and my mom had picked up a few cute boxes of Life cereal for my kiddos. Seems pretty harmless, right? I was reading the label and I was shocked to see it had Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. The cereal is BROWN! Why on earth would it need a food dye?
Start small and change a few things in your kitchen that contain food dyes. Annie's is a great brand and can be found in most grocery stores or at Target. Health food markets like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's won't sell anything with an artificial dye.
No comments:
Post a Comment