| When you walk through the supermarket it is easy to | | | | two artificial food color dyes and additives had a |
| pick out what foods are manufactured for children. | | | | significant effect on the children's global hyperactivity |
| They are usually fun shapes, and fun colors to attract | | | | aggregate (Nordqvist). This becomes especially |
| the attention of children. Since these foods are | | | | problematic in the school performance of children as it |
| targeted for our children, one would hope they would | | | | bleeds onto children's abilities to excel in many areas |
| be healthy choices that please both the parent and the | | | | of academic performance. Schools that have |
| child. Even though there are many natural coloring | | | | experimented with removing all junk food have seen |
| agents, or natural food dyes, most companies use | | | | landmark improvement in student behavior and |
| artificial food color dyes to save money. | | | | academic performance simply by making healthy |
| In the United States companies will use artificial food | | | | choices and serving additive-free lunches and snacks. |
| color dyes in their products, but in the U.K. the same | | | | While children may beg and plead for the superbly |
| companies will color their products naturally using | | | | marketed additive-filled children's foods, for their own |
| natural food color dyes. For example, in America the | | | | sake it's best to avoid them. If your regular |
| famous cola soda producer, makes a red colored | | | | supermarket doesn't carry alternative options, health |
| soda that is colored with Red 40 and Yellow 6. In the | | | | foods stores will often carry children's foods that are |
| U.K. that same soda manufacturer uses natural | | | | naturally colored with natural food dyes. This way they |
| products like pumpkin and carrot extract to obtain the | | | | are getting the visual stimulation of the artificially |
| red color in that same beverage. Likewise, the golden | | | | colored foods without the adverse effects. With the |
| arched fast food company's strawberry sundaes are | | | | constantly rising rates of ADHD, we may need to look |
| colored with Red 40 in the U.S., whereas in the U.K. | | | | closer at what is causing this behavior. If this challenge |
| real strawberries are used (Common Dreams). | | | | to our children's learning can be avoided naturally, by |
| While saving money is fine, there are some significant | | | | making healthy food choices instead of treatment with |
| health effects as a result of the chemistry of food | | | | harmful drugs, maybe laying off the favorite cartoon |
| dyes and artificial coloring, especially for the target | | | | fruit snack is worth it. Nature also provides some |
| consumers, our children who will use that food the | | | | pretty colorful foods. Whenever possible make |
| most. | | | | healthier choices and choose natural foods. |
| The artificial food color dyes in food has been shown | | | | References: |
| to have a significant effect on hyperactivity in children, | | | | "Brits Get Treats, Americans Get Tricks From Food |
| and isn't restricted to affecting those with ADHD. In a | | | | Companies, Says Nutrition Action |
| study that involved 153 three year old children, and 144 | | | | Healthletter." Common Dreams. 22 Oct 2008. Common |
| eight to nine year olds, researchers found that children | | | | Dreams. 24 Jul 2009 >. |
| given the drink containing sodium benzoate and one of | | | | Nordqvist, Christian. |