All Treats, No Tricks

When someone asks us what foods we should avoid, I try to turn that question into a positive one. Here at CCN, we like to focus on what you can have, not what you can’t. The psychology of that is that if you think you’re not missing out, then you’re not. The chances of success are much higher when using this philosophy to stick to a healthy lifestyle. 

That said, there are some additives that we suggest removing from your diet (if you haven’t already), and one of those is artificial colors. Halloween is right around the corner, and candy is one of the biggest culprits. This is the number one ingredient we encourage our clients to remove from their family’s diet, especially if they have any metabolic health issues. Now is a good time to start finding replacements for your typical treats. 

Food dyes can be so dangerous to our health that other countries have warning labels on foods containing added colors. Beware of our labels here in the U.S. They will trick you! For instance, if there’s a trace of real, natural food colors, it may say, “flavored naturally with some artificial.” 

Here’s the list of colors you want to avoid if at all possible:

• Blue #1

• Blue #2

• Citrus Red #2

• Green #3

• Red #3

• Red #40

• Yellow #5

• Yellow #6

Private research has linked these colors to cancer, tumors, hyperactivity, hypersensitivity, and other behavioral effects in children. Check out this article for more in-depth information about these dyes.

The good news is that many major food companies are making a massive shift in natural food dyes. The better news is that 99% of the time, with a little effort on your end, avoiding food dyes is effortless. You can find healthy alternatives for your kid's favorite treats if you shop at health food stores like Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Mother’s Market, etc. (Trader Joe’s even has a store-wide policy that they won’t sell anything with artificial colors.) Check Amazon for dye-free Halloween candy if you don’t have access to a great health food market.

A few of our favorite brands are YumEarth, UNREAL, and Black Forest.

And even if you’re unable to find a suitable replacement, eating it 1% of the time won’t harm you. Just be mindful and make better for you choices more often than not. There are definitely times in life it just can’t be avoided – and that’s life! But we think you will be amazed at the endless options that are now out there that will be so much better suited for you and your family!