FDA hearings on food dye: no action, but need more research

Here are links to a few articles I found on the recent FDA hearings. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/01/health/policy/01fda.html?_r=1 http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/31/more-research-needed-on-food-dyes-fda-panel-says/ I have to admit I'm disappointed about the FDA's lack of response to food dyes, but can't say I'm all that surprised. Food manufacturers do not want to change to more expensive food ingredients. They don't want the cost and hassle of warning labels. The price of food is jumping enough without a change in ingredients. Thus, a huge percentage of the American public remains clueless to the potential affects of food dye on children's behavior. However, I'm also disappointed that the articles seem to focus on ADHD symptoms. Sure we've seen some outrageous hyperactive and impulsive behavioral responses to food dyes in my family. It was the main reason I started the whole ban. However, the reason I've kept my family dye free for over 3 1/2 years was the combination of behaviors: irritability, tantrums, aggression, sleep disturbance, negative thinking, etc. This is what I think research should address. I could live with a kid who was a little bouncy and hyperactive. It's the angry, yelling, defiant personality change that I decided was intolerable. I wish I could show families how much calmer and healthier all 3 of my kids have stayed consistently for the past 3 years off dyes, and how badly things break down in the rare instances that petrochemicals creep into the diet. So on that front, I agree with the FDA. RESEARCH IT MORE. But I certainly hope they do more than run a simple study only looking at hyperactivity. My experience has been that food dyes affect way more than that. I don't need research to know what my own in-house, 3 person case study has shown. Life is better when you eat real food. As we continue to use buying power, more and more natural options will be available.

Food dye at church

We really like the children's ministry program at our church. They do a really great job teaching values in a fun and interesting way. Today they worked on determination, the theme for the month, by giving all the kids a Tootsie Roll pop. How many licks does it take? You know the deal. We instructed them not to give our children the candy and someone was kind enough to get them chips as a substitute.

Well my husband was volunteering in the third grade group and came out just shaking his head. He said within 20 minutes the kids were literally rolling around, throwing paper airplanes, slapping each other, climbing, drumming, etc. It is normally such a nice, structured, great place for the kids. None of them are normally like that. But juice those kids on food dye and sugar right at the start and all "you know what" breaks loose. Ed said it was a real eye-opener for some of the other adults volunteering.

I'm just sad that our school district is doing reading proficiency tests for most of those same third graders tomorrow. Most people don't realize that a dose of food dye can carry through with behavioral effects for 3 whole days. That's probably why it all bothers me so much. If it was only a few hours, I could take that now and then, but three days of problems, that's too many good times thrown away to be worth one lollipop.