Food cosmetics
Food dye in foods is purely cosmetic. Artificial coloring has no nutritional value, yet, we Americans seem to flock to prettiest colored edibles whether they are healthy for us nor not. In fact, many of those imitation hues that affect the perseption of our tastes buds may cause cancer, according to some experts.
If we really knew what the product of processed foods looked like before the cosmetic enhancement, I highly doubt that we would be eating the same crap that we feel good about buying in those crinkled packages with the so called nutritional facts printed on the label.
Take carmel color, for example. I have to admit, I used to fall for this one, too, so don't feel bad when I tell you what it is, really. I conjure up the image of making a carmel sauce on the stove top with butter and brown sugar.
Yum, a sugar rush!
What does ammonia or ammonia-sulfite bring to your mind?
For me, I can almost breath in the burning smell of an over-due for a change cat litter box. Yep, that is ammonia you are smelling in there. Ammonia is also used in some cleaning products for laundry and dish soap.
Ammonia or ammonia-sulfite contain carcinogens. These chemicals are what make up the warm fuzzy satifying feeling we experince when we see the carmel color in our soda pop like Pepsi, Coca-cola. Dr Pepper and Root Beer. ( 4-methylimidazole or 4-MI)
YIKES! I don't know about you, but to me, suddenly that aluminum can of cancer causing carmel colored Coke is not so appealing anymore. And to think we are fussing more about the high-fructose corn syrup in the obsesity causing soft drinks.
Think again about orange and strawberry soda
If you have already been following my Toxic Stone Soup series that the orange color is not healthy. I even slipped in the fact that this toxic chemical in the orange coloring has to have something to keep the colors from seperating. Or else, you would have to shake before using your soda pop to make it more visually appealing. The orange color sets up your tastes bud to think you are drinking real oranges. But is a big fat lie.
The orange and strawberry red pigment are in the same chemical that is used in manufacturing your rubber soled tennis shoes. Oh, and by the way, it causes cancer, too.
If it looks yucky...
We Americans are so spoiled now days that if a food product looked irregular, yucky, we won't eat it. We have come to expect a certain standard of appealing cosmetic look in order to have confidence in the brand of products we buy.
Why are manufactures putting these toxic waste into our food anyway?
According to Wikipedia, and I quote...
- offset color loss due to exposure to light, air, temperature extremes, moisture and storage conditions
- correct natural variations in color
- enhance colors that occur naturally
- provide color to colorless and "fun" foods
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_coloring
I am Malika Bourne the No Non-cents Nanna saying, "Make good choices."
Should you like to explore more about the colors of dyes used in foods check out the same url as I just listed.
I have been researching toxic chemicals in food for some time. But, just because I wrote this post, don't be taking my word for it on my say so. I just read. I don't do any chemical equations or experiments under a microscope or lab rats.
Why re-invent the color wheel?
I gathered up a few urls for you in case you wish to read more on your own.
Remember that you can not believe every thing you read on the inter-net. I always suggest we all consult multiple sources to gain a greater insight on any subject before making crucial life decisions. Feeding our children poison/ toxins is life changing, don't you think?
Lab Tests Find Carcinogen in Regular and Diet Coke and Pepsi
http://www.cspinet.org/new/201203051.html