Case File #006 Artificial Dyes
Suspect #006 “ Artifical Dyes: Hiding in Plain Sight”
Hey there fellow label detectives! This week we're cracking open case file 006,and it's a big one! Let's put artificial dyes in the hot seat!
It wasn’t a piece of candy. It wasn’t even cereal.
It was a women’s multivitamin — something I was taking to support my health.
One morning, I glanced down at the pill in my hand and thought, Wait a minute,why is this pink? I flipped the bottle over and scanned the ingredients list… and there it was: Red Dye 40.
A synthetic dye made from petroleum, sitting right there in my so-called health supplement. I was actually angry.
Because if even our vitamins aren’t safe — what else are we blindly trusting?
🚨 What Are Artificial Dyes?
Artificial dyes are synthetic chemicals added to food and supplements to make them look more appealing — as if “pink” equals “healthy.” The truth? These colors are all show, no substance.
The main culprits include:
Red 40
Yellow 5
Yellow 6
Blue 1
Blue 2
They don’t enhance nutrition. They don’t improve quality. They just make products look more vibrant — especially to kids and unsuspecting shoppers.
🧠 What They’re Doing to Our Bodies
Studies (and a growing wave of consumer stories) link these dyes to:
Behavioral issues and hyperactivity
Headaches and migraines
Skin conditions like rashes and hives
Asthma flare-ups
Gut irritation
Potential cancer risks in animal studies
Many of these dyes are banned or heavily restricted in countries like the UK and throughout the EU. But here in the U.S. they remain in practically everything.
🔎 Where They Hide
Don’t let the packaging fool you — these dyes are sneaky. They show up in:
Children’s pain relievers and cold meds (like Tylenol and Motrin)
Flavored applesauce pouches marketed as “natural”
Pickles — especially those extra green ones (hello, Yellow 5)
Vanilla cake mixes (yes, vanilla) often contain Yellow dyes
“Healthy” granola bars — especially ones with fruit or yogurt coatings
Sports drinks & electrolyte powders (even the “zero sugar” ones)
Deli meats and frozen turkeys — dyed to look fresher
Cheese slices and shredded cheese (some brands use annatto, but others use Yellow 5 or 6)
Salad dressings — like French, Thousand Island, and “zesty” Italian
Protein powders and pre-workout drinks
Toothpaste and mouthwash — yes, even in “mint” flavor
Cereals labeled as “whole grain” or “high fiber”
Bubble gum and mints
Maraschino cherries — basically soaked in Red 40
✅ What You Can Do Instead
We can’t rely on the system to protect us — but we can make better choices. Here’s what I recommend:
Read your labels. If you see Red 40, Yellow 5, etc., put it back.
Support brands using natural colors like beet juice, spirulina, turmeric, and carrot extract.
And to make things as simple as possible,stick to whole,natural foods as much as you can.
🚨 One Last Thing: Don’t Let the Labels Fool You
New laws are finally catching up — with the FDA starting to phase out harmful dyes like Red 40 and Yellow 5 from food and supplements. But these changes will be slow and gradual, taking years to fully roll out. That’s why reading labels is still your best line of defense. Don’t wait for the system to catch up — trust your instincts, flip the bottle, and keep choosing better.