The United States may have a lot of faults, but one thing it does not take lightly is sweets. Brightly colored, cavity-inducing and highly addictive arrays of sweet goodies line the shelves of convenience stores.
Most Americans choose to ignore the bad additives in these sweets and how can we resist though?
They’re colorful and alluring! Studies have shown that humans are easily influenced and attracted to food that has a more appealing color. We would rather eat a bright red apple than a dull-looking beige apple.
I am one of many to say we need to say goodbye to the dye and I am in favor of the ban because companies need to be held accountable for what they add to our food.
Is it not alarming that our food is banned in other countries due to the prominence of other food dyes like Yellow 5, Red 40 and Blue No. 1? Not only that but the amount of health concerns revolving around these dyes is upsetting.
Red Dye No. 3 is a synthetic dye derived from petroleum. It is linked to certain behaviors like hyperactivity and behavioral issues while also getting banned from being included in cosmetic products because it causes cancer in lab animals.
Erythrosine is only used in foods to add artificial coloring and it does not affect nutritional value or taste. So why do companies even care if it ends up being banned?
Is it because their food will not be pretty anymore? If anything, food that is the same color as a primary color is more off putting than the saturated version that would be otherwise.
When you read the back of a bag of chips, you can always see dyes listed in the ingredients. Shouldn’t that be a sign that the U.S. has gone too far for the aesthetics of food?
According to an FDA analysis, Red Dye No. 3 is often found in decorative chips for baking, ice cream cones, frosting, icing and soft candies.
In terms of banning dyes, I only feel disappointed that my future birthday cakes will look dull unless a baker decides to go the extra mile to make the bright colors; I can live with that.
I do not think the color shift will affect popular candy brands as most famous candies are the same age as our great-great-grandparents. We are familiar with the taste of these brands. Peeps are still going to taste like sugary marshmallows, with or without the dye.