In the past, US consumers have resisted their favorite foods changing to natural dyes. Attitudes might shift if Maha converts the entire industry
  • Tedesche@lemmy.worldEnglish
    49·
    2 days ago

    For those interested in the actual science part of the article:

    Why the fuss over food coloring? Are natural dyes really that much better for our health?

    “They’re better for some people’s health,” says Jamie Alan, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University. “There is a very small percentage of children who are very sensitive to these dyes. And when they eat these dyes, they display behaviors that we sometimes associate with ADHD.”

    Alan stresses that there is no evidence that those kids actually develop ADHD. But research has found that after eating foods containing certain dyes, children, including those diagnosed with ADHD or autism, can show signs of hyperactivity, moodiness and inattentiveness. However many of these foods, particularly candy and soda, also contain sugar, which has also been connected to hyperactive behavior.

    Alan recommends that parents talk to a pediatrician and try an elimination diet to make sure the dye and not another ingredient is to blame. But she largely supports phasing out artificial dyes; most public health advocates think this is a good idea. “In my opinion,” Alan says, “because we’re talking about children and because they are a vulnerable population, I do think this is a great thing to do. But I will recognize that it is not going to impact the vast majority of the population.”

    None of this changes the fact that Robert F. Kennedy is a fucking moron.

    • console.log(bathing_in_bismuth)@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      71·
      2 days ago

      Agreed. I wonder if he came up with this himself or someone from his team. There are plenty papers that cautiously correlate said dyes with abnormal brain functioning.

      And my personal opinion, there isn’t any reason for such dyes to exist in food. Candy or soda shouldn’t have to look like “Demon Core Green”

    • skuzz@discuss.tchncs.de
      41·
      2 days ago

      However many of these foods, particularly candy and soda, also contain sugar, which has also been connected to hyperactive behavior.

      Hopefully it is just the article being poorly-written and not MSU making terrible studies and/or Jamie Alan being a dunce.

      “Dyes cause kids to be temporarily hyper, also, the food with the dyes has sugar in it which could actually be the cause.”

      …