Artificial food dyes are often used to create the bright, colorful appearance seen in foods like candy, cupcakes, soft drinks, and even some children’s medicines. These colors are designed to make products more attractive and appealing to kids.
In early 2025, the FDA banned FD&C Red No. 3, a synthetic red dye used in many foods and medications, due to safety concerns raised by animal studies involving thyroid tumors and hormone effects. Since then, several states have proposed new restrictions on artificial food dyes and additives, with West Virginia becoming the first state to ban multiple synthetic food colorings in foods statewide.
With so much discussion about food dyes, it’s understandable for parents to feel concerned. Fortunately, you don’t have to throw away every colorful snack or say no to birthday cake to make healthy choices for your family.
Instead, focus on balance and long-term eating habits. Offering mostly whole, minimally processed foods can naturally reduce your child’s exposure to artificial dyes, since ultraprocessed foods tend to contain the highest amounts of added coloring and other additives.
The Risk
Scientists have been researching artificial food dyes for many years to better understand how they may affect health. Some studies have linked certain dyes to concerns such as allergic reactions and possible cancer risks, which has led the FDA to limit or remove some artificial colors from approved use over time.
For children, researchers are still studying long-term health effects, but there is growing evidence that artificial dyes may affect mood and behavior in some kids. Studies have linked certain food dyes to symptoms like hyperactivity, irritability, restlessness, and trouble sleeping—even in children who do not have ADHD or other behavioral diagnoses.
Regulations: US vs. Europe
Many countries, including those in the European Union (EU), take a more precautionary approach to regulating food additives and artificial dyes. In several European nations, foods containing certain synthetic dyes are required to carry warning labels if the additives are suspected of posing potential health concerns.
In the United States, regulatory action has traditionally focused on restricting or banning substances after evidence demonstrates potential harm. In recent years, however, the FDA and state governments have increased attention on food additives, leading to additional reviews and new restrictions on certain artificial ingredients.
Which Foods & Drinks?
Ultraprocessed foods and drinks are often the biggest source of artificial food dyes in children’s diets. These can include foods like breakfast cereals, snack bars, cookies, and other packaged snacks.
Even some foods labeled as “healthy” may still contain added colors. Items like yogurt, fruit cups, applesauce pouches, salad dressings, and trail mixes sometimes use artificial dyes to keep products looking bright and consistent.
How to Avoid
The easiest way is to offer whole foods that are minimally processed and skip the highly processed food options.
Snack Swaps
Start with the easy one-for-one substitutions such as daily quick snacks. For example, if your child eats a quick packaged snack on the way to extracurriculars in the afternoons, offer them a banana, tangerine, or string cheese instead! These options have easy-to-absorb nutrients and typically have no added dyes.
Sports Drinks
The most common artificially colored drinks are electrolyte drinks. If your child typically drinks a sports drink after heavy activity, there are now more alternative options that are low-calorie and have no artificial dyes.
Sodas, energy drinks, and even some juice boxes also contain large amounts of artificial colors, plus tons of added sugars which can contribute to obesity and tooth decay! The healthiest drink you can offer your child is always water.
Children’s Medicines
Over-the-counter medications such as pain relivers, allergy syrups, or cough-and-cold medicines typically contain FDA approved colors to appeal to children. Obviously, your child will not consume large amounts of these medications, but you may want to avoid these as well. Your pediatrician can recommend brands of medications that do not use artificial dyes or additives.
“Natural” Food Coloring
An increasing number of snacks and candies are now marketed as containing “natural colorants” instead of artificial food dyes. These color sources may come from ingredients such as turmeric for yellow coloring or beta-carotene for orange coloring.
While natural colorants may be preferable to synthetic dyes in some cases, it is important to remember that this does not automatically make processed snack foods healthy. The small amounts of these ingredients used for coloring do not provide the same nutritional benefits as eating whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Even when naturally colored, highly processed snack foods should still be limited in a child’s diet.
Tips for Reading Labels
- Scan the ingredients yourself. Just because the package claims “natural flavors” or “no high fructose corn syrup” does not mean all the ingredients are healthy and there are no added colors.
- Learn dye names and numbers. The most common include Red 40 (Allura Red), Red 3, Yellow 5 (Tartrazine), Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow), Blue 1, Blue 2 (Indigotine), and Green 3.
- Keep an eye out for “umbrella terms” such as “artificial colors”, “artificial coloring”, “synthetic color”, or “certified color”, which signal that the product has added dyes.
- Ingredients are listed by weight, so always check the order the ingredients are listed in. If dyes are listed closer to the top, the product has more of them.
- Look for “dye-free” medicines and check the inactive ingredient list on the packages for color names or numbers.
Avoid at All Cost?
This is a great topic to discuss with your child’s doctor. If your child struggles with anxiety, trouble sleeping, hyperactivity, or restlessness, your pediatrician may suggest trying a period without artificial food dyes to see whether symptoms improve.
Some children, especially those with ADHD or autism, may be more sensitive to artificial colors and experience increased behavioral symptoms after eating foods that contain them. Since every child is different, the best plan is one that takes your child’s unique needs and symptoms into account.
Remember
Balance is the key. There is no need to strictly ban every brightly colored snack from your child’s diet. Just focus on provided whole and minimally processed foods most of the time. This helps you avoid artificial colors and give your child the nutrients their bodies need. Having an occasional highly processed treat reminds you that you’re taking a balanced, healthy approach to food!