Do you like eating colored cereal for breakfast? If yes, then you might change your mind after reading this.

Veteran bodybuilder Rich Gaspari sat down with a medicinal biochemist and pharmacologist, Dr. George Mariano. The two dissected the entire food industry, covering everything from cholesterol myths, leaky gut syndrome, seed oils, trans fats, and particularly artificial dyes.

"What the United States has a big problem on is all the artificial dyes. You look at our cereals, and they glow in the dark. My son will eat like, I don't know, Fruit Loops or, you know, and you can see the difference between American Fruit Loops, and you look at, you know, Fruit Loops from Italy."

Mariano jumped in with his own conclusion, stating that the use of bright dyes by brands is a psychological tactic. 

“It’s a visual representation. Food companies know brighter colors make food look more appealing and more appetizing.”

Why do brands put dyes in foods? Food dyes are used to enhance the appearance of food through artificial color. Most manufacturers often prefer food dyes over natural food colorings because they produce brighter colors.

Mariano further pointed out that color psychology is one of the oldest tricks in food marketing. Giving the example of one of the biggest fast food chains in the world, he said, 

“How come McDonald’s has yellow arches and red. Because those colors make you hungrier.”

His claims were based on the long-standing belief in the advertising industry that certain colors have the power to influence appetite, mood, and purchasing behavior. So, fast food chains design their brands to generate speed, stimulation, and impulse decisions from their customers.

But just because something is widely used doesn't mean it is good for you.

Side Effects of Food Dyes in Processed Foods

As per Henry Ford Health, here are some side effects of food dyes that you must know about before buying foods that are loaded with it.

• Allergies
• Cancer
• Inflammation of the colon and colorectal health issues
• DNA damage
• Hyperactivity
• Irritability/Frustration
• Memory loss
• Restlessness
• Mood swings

Now that you know the side effects, here is another list of food dyes that are popularly used by the food industry.

• Red No. 3: A cherry-red color widely used in candy, popsicles, and cake-decorating gels.
• Red No. 40: A darker red dye used in sports drinks, certain candies, and cereals.
• Yellow No. 5: A lemon-yellow color used in lemon candies, soft drinks, chips, popcorn, and cereals.
• Yellow No. 6: An orange-yellow color used in orange-flavored candies, sauces, and preserved fruits.
• Blue No. 1: A greenish-blue dye used in ice cream, canned peas, packaged soups, popsicles, and icings.
• Blue No. 2: A royal blue dye found in candy, ice cream, cereal, and snacks.

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Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi