What to Know About Red Dye No. 3
Take a stroll inside any convenience store and you’ll see countless products made with artificial colorings or food dyes. They’re responsible for many of the bright colors found in candy, sports drinks, frostings, and even cough syrups. Even though food dyes are seemingly everywhere, you may not have thought about what they do in the body once ingested.
Recently, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of the synthetic food dye Red No. 3. To find out what’s behind the ban and what to do about food dyes if you’re trying to lose weight and follow a healthy or diabetic diet meal plan, keep reading.
Red Dye No. 3 Ban
Red No. 3, a synthetic dye made from petroleum, is used to give foods and drugs a cherry red color. It’s found in maraschino cherries, sprinkles, gummy candies, frostings, and frozen desserts, in addition to cough syrups and some other medications.
The FDA is no longer permitting the use of Red No. 3 in food and drugs due to research that suggests it can cause thyroid cancer in rats. A clause in the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, known as the Delaney Clause, states that the FDA must prohibit color additives shown to induce cancer in animals or people.
Interestingly, the use of Red No. 3 in cosmetics has been prohibited since 1990 based on this same research. The renewed interest in the continued use of the dye in foods came in response to a 2023 petition from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
Artificial Colors, Weight, and Healthy Eating
Although limited research suggests a link between Red No. 3 and cancer in animals, the FDA states that current evidence does not indicate that humans are at risk since typical exposure levels are much lower than those studied.
Nevertheless, the ban of Red No. 3 brings to light the ongoing discussion and growing body of research on the health effects of artificial colorings. Studies suggest that food dyes may negatively impact attention span and behavior in children, damage the gut microbiome in mice, and lead to possible hormonal disruptions in human cells.
In addition, Red No. 3 and other synthetic food dyes are typically found in ultra-processed foods. Higher consumption of these foods is associated with weight gain and obesity, as well as adverse health outcomes like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
More research is needed to fully understand if (and what amount of) artificial food colorings contribute to health issues, but limiting these additives is a reasonable action to take while studies continue.
If you eat a balanced diet with the majority of foods coming from fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, legumes, nuts, seeds, and other whole foods, you probably already have a low or nonexistent intake of food dyes. To identify possible sources of these additives, read ingredient lists before purchasing foods and opt for items made with natural colors like beetroot or turmeric if desired.
And remember, you don’t need to lose sleep over enjoying a special cake made with brightly colored sprinkles on occasion. Focusing on eating nutritious foods most of the time is a better use of your energy.
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