Red Dye

what if you avoid dyes altogether? personally i want the food i eat to be 100% food. the closer to the way it came out of god's good earth, the better! :) if you shop the edges of the grocery store, and get your 'treats' at trader joes or the health food store you can just read the label before you buy something and it will be a rare food that you find the dye in. oh, and that's another idea...read the label of everything before you put it in your cart. once you know a food is 'safe' then it's ok. what i find is that when people actually read the labels they become much more aware of how much 'junk' they are eating/feeding to their kids and everything gets healthier. i recommend to avoid foods with corn syrup, refined grains, hydrogenated oils, and artificial colorings and flavorings. win-win!! :cheer:

I don't forbid any substance "per se" but I strictly limit treats/snacks and buy organics for everyday eating. Then if the rare treat contains red dye, high fructose, etc., it's not a big deal. You can buy popsicle-shaped ice trays and make your own popsicles using mom-approved mixtures. Something I do for a "special treat" is buy organic frozen mixed berries and serve them partially thawed, topped with a little whipped cream. When other people give my kids wrapped candy and such, I put it away for "later" and most of it ends up going to someone else.

I am like you and sometimes forget to check the ingredients and John gets bratty with red dye! The easiest way for me to not buy stuff with it is to grocery shop online. I have more time to read the labels and no little helper asking me for stuff in the store!! Don't beat yourself up over it!

Our 5 yr. old cannot have red dye. It has been a process of building habits by everyone in the family (he is one of 5 kids). We read all labels. It is ridiculous how many items contain red dye! Motrin, Tylenol, and other otc meds are starting to catch on and offer dye-free alternatives. It seems time consuming at first but my husband and teenage kids have joined me in becoming educated. We have stopped bringing anything with red dye into the house. There are still fun choices. There are popsicles made with no artificial colors now. My son gets a kick out of being able to eat them! Interestingly there are many more choices of dye-free items in Europe. When traveling in Europe last summer I was so impressed with the limited use of dyes in food. The USFDA does not endorse the idea of artificial dyes being unhealthy and therefore many manufacturers still add dyes to foods sold in the US, but the same companies remove dyes in foods sold throughout Europe. Frustrating. Hang in there - it is so worth it to remove the dyes for children affected by them. You will notice a difference in the long run. Aimee blessed mom to 5

I admit that I am not a very careful label reader. I didn't even know that infant tylenol had red dye until I saw one that was white and said on the front that it didn't have any dye! But honestly, I just don't let Liana eat much junk. Mostly she eats fresh fruit or triscuits with cream cheese for a snack. Or a bodega croissant. I guess I should read the ingredients in the nutri-grain cereal bars that she likes so much. Occasionally when we are out she gets an ice cream or a popsicle from a street vendor, and I have no idea what is in it. Sometimes I buy a chocolate bar for us to share. I'm pretty sure Kraft mac and cheese, (which I let her eat about once a month because she loves it), has all kinds of garbage and dyes in it. I went insane when my Aunt gave her cheese doodles. We just don't eat junk like that, and I don't want her to develop a taste for it. So you careful label readers out there... where might it be hidden that I don't even know about?

I also have tried to not get anything with food coloring at all. I also try to buy things with less ingredients. My daughter was adopted from foster care and potato chips were a staple of her diet. She wants them at each meal but I don't let her do that. I let her have some once a day and I buy the ones with the least ingredients. I have to choose my battles. But the coloring, I think when you get used to looking it is easier. I also look for things that say No Color/No additives.

This is a little off topic but have you read the book "Eat This...Not That" Kids Edition. It was interesting to see some products that I thought (obviously without reading lables) might be good but weren't. It really opened my eyes to extras in food like Sodium. There is nothing on red food dye unfortunately. There is a section on restaurants and also a section for the grocery store. I try to read labels much more carefully now but it is hard when shopping with a little one in tow.

try the baked kettle chips, the bbq flavor is delicious! turns out that frying potatoes releases a chemical called acrymalide which increases risk for cancer and heart disease. [url=http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080306075222.htm]Soaking Potatoes In Water Before Frying Reduces Acrylamide[/url] [url=http://food-facts.suite101.com/article.cfm/acrylamide_in_potato_chips_harm_the_heart]Acrylamide in Potato Chips Harms the Heart: New Study Shows Increased Risk for Cardiac Disease | Suite101.com[/url]

My DD doesn't get hyper from dyes but itchy. I mean crazy itchy. We love sundrops (get them from wholefoods) as a treat now and then. They are dyed with veggies, etc. No artificial dyes. They are like m n m's. They also have a brand of lollypops that have no yucky dyes in them. There are times when she does get some dyes now and then, but she pays for it. We also have issues with soybeans which is in so many things. It is in things you would never think it would be in. I just don't buy anything that has dye in it for home consumption or use. And have searched and found alternatives for special treat now and then. We love making our own popsicles in the summer time.

Hmm, I am impressed w/ Moms that can prevent their kids from having junk food or other food containing red dye.... I just don't seem to be that Mom and WISH I WAS!!!!!!. We go to b-day parties at least once or twice a month. They have cake w/ pink icing ( i.e red dye) and serve cheetos or doritos ( i.e. red dye) while serving Capri Sun Fruit Punch to drink or Garorade ( i.e. red dye) and then give them a goodie back w/ red lollipops ( i.e. red dye) or skittles ( red dye ) or M & M's ( red dye) Then @ school they make edible rainbows w/ fruit loops (i.e. red dye) and Nana picks her up and treats her to a popsicle ( fruit juice) but still (i.e. red dye) because her favorite color is the red or purple one. It just seems to add up and quickly. I did eliminate @ home.... so we have no red-dye items in the frig or pantry.