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Health See other Health Articles Title: Food coloring alert The bright colors of grocery store foods are often the result of artificial food dyes, which are now being applied not just to candies and snack foods, but also to products such as pickles, salad dressing and even oranges. But according to scientific studies, these dyes are causing behavioral problems and disrupting children's attention. Some have even been found to pose cancer risks. The FDA has made an about-face on their previous denials that dyes can influence children's behavior, and has stated that synthetic food colorings do affect some children. According to the Washington Post: "Beyond the behavioral problems and cancer risks, the greatest hazard that dyes pose for children may also be the most obvious: They draw kids away from nutritious foods and toward brightly colored processed products that are high in calories but low in nutrients, such as fruit-flavored drinks and snack foods. Those types of foods are a major force in America's obesity epidemic." Dr. Mercola's Comments: Follow me on twitter Follow me on facebook While Americans continue to snack on cereal bars, fruit juices, candy and a host of other processed foods turned a rainbow of colors thanks to artificial food dyes, those in the UK are enjoying those same colorful foods … but without the artificial color. This is because a carefully designed, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the journal The Lancet concluded that a variety of common food dyes and the preservative sodium benzoate cause some children to become measurably more hyperactive and distractible. UK Takes Action Against Food Dyes While U.S. Ignores the Risks The Lancet study prompted the British Food Standards Agency (FSA) to issue an immediate advisory to parents, warning them to limit their children's intake of additives if they notice an effect on behavior. They also advised the food industry to voluntarily remove the six food dyes named in the study and replace them with natural alternatives if possible. As of July 2010, most foods in the EU that contain artificial food dyes were also labeled with warning labels stating the food "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." And this prompted many food manufacturers to voluntarily remove the dyes from their products. This is why if you eat a Nutri-Grain strawberry cereal bar in the United States, it will contain Red 40, Yellow 6 and Blue 1. But that same bar in the UK contains only the natural colorings beetroot red, annatto and paprika extract. In fact, the UK branches of Wal-Mart, Kraft, Coca-Cola and Mars have removed artificial colors, sodium benzoate and aspartame from their product lines as a result of consumer demand and government recommendations. In the United States, however, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to allow these toxic ingredients in countless popular foods, including those marketed directly to children. FDA Decides to Keep U.S. Consumers in the Dark At the end of March 2011, the FDA held a session to discuss the science on food dyes and hyperactivity – and decided that warning labels are not necessary on U.S. foods that contain artificial color. They concluded: "FDA concludes that a causal relationship between exposure to color additives and hyperactivity in children in the general population has not been established." This is despite not only the Lancet study but also a 58-page report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). In "Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks," CSPI revealed that nine of the food dyes currently approved for use in the United States are linked to health issues ranging from cancer and hyperactivity to allergy-like reactions -- and these results were from studies conducted by the chemical industry itself. For instance, Red # 40, which is the most widely used dye, may accelerate the appearance of immune-system tumors in mice, while also triggering hyperactivity in children. Blue # 2, used in candies, beverages, pet foods and more, was linked to brain tumors. And Yellow 5, used in baked goods, candies, cereal and more, may not only be contaminated with several cancer-causing chemicals, but it's also linked to hyperactivity, hypersensitivity and other behavioral effects in children. Despite the growing research linking food dyes to adverse health effects, all the FDA would acknowledge was that: "For certain susceptible children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and other problem behaviors … the data suggest that their condition may be exacerbated by exposure to a number of substances in food, including, but not limited to, synthetic color additives. Findings from relevant clinical trials indicate that the effects on their behavior appear to be due to a unique intolerance to these substances and not to any inherent neurotoxic properties." Yet, research again suggests otherwise, including a meta-analysis of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials by David W. Schab, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, which found artificial food colors may lead to "neurobehavioral toxicity." For now it appears the FDA will remain mum on food dye regulations, other than to say more research is needed. But as Michael Jacobson of CSPI said to the Los Angeles Times, rather than the FDA asking their expert panel whether research shows food dyes cause hyperactivity, they should have asked "Is there proof the dyes are safe?" The Right Type of Colored Foods to Include in Your Diet Avoiding not only artificial food coloring but food additives of all kinds is one of the basic principles of my healthy eating recommendations. And this is extremely easy to do when you limit or avoid processed foods in your diet. This becomes second-nature when you realize and acknowledge that food dyes are added to processed foods to make a product that would otherwise be an off-colored mess look appealing. As Schab and Jacobson wrote in The Washington Post: "Artificial colorings are explicitly meant to manipulate consumers' perceptions. Manufacturers tout research showing that redness enhances the impression of sweetness, and that in tests with beverages and sherbets, the color of the product did more to influence consumers' perception of the flavor than the flavor itself. One dye marketer states that its colorings offer "a limitless palette, unmatched technology and the emotional connection between people and color."" If you live in the United States, there are some companies, including Starbucks and Necco (which makes the candy wafers), that have dropped artificial dyes from their products. Whole Foods and Trader Joe's also carry products free from artificial food coloring. However, the best way to get more color into your diet is to choose foods that are naturally colorful. You can find natural fruits and veggies in a rainbow of colors, and unlike with artificial color, naturally colorful whole foods will add countless important nutrients to your diet. Best to boycott artificially-colored foods, especially those which don't specify the dye used. Tell the store/manufacturer you're not buying foods with "anonymous" colorings.
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#1. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
thanks for the interesting & informative post. Dr Mercola does a lot of really great work. I guess those new sour jolly ranchers i like so much are a bit too bright & colorful.
http://articles.mercola.com/site...r-than-150-years-old.aspx The buffering effect of exercise on telomere shortening was confirmed again just last year. This study included 63 healthy post-menopausal women, and found that "vigorous physical activity appears to protect those experiencing high stress by buffering its relationship with telomere length (TL)." In fact, among the women who did not exercise, each unit increase in the Perceived Stress Scale was related to a 15-fold increase in the odds of having short telomeres. Those who did exercise regularly showed no correlation between telomere length and perceived stress! Greta Blackburn's book The Immortality Edge: Realize the Secrets of Your Telomeres for a Longer, Healthier Life further details the importance of high-intensity exercise to prevent telomere shortening. The book also offers specific recommendations regarding supplements, diet, and stress-reduction techniques along with clear explanations of the science behind the recommendations. This is truly a fascinating and groundbreaking realm of longevity research, as being able to reduce telomere shortening—essentially stopping the cellular aging process that eventually kills you—is one of the most promising anti-aging strategies we know of to date. Much of the research surrounding telomeres is focused on turning on a gene that produces the enzyme telomerase. Your reproductive cells, which contain telomerase, do not undergo the same telomere shortening process that other cells do. So researchers are now screening different chemicals for their ability to turn on the telomerase gene in an effort to develop the first true anti-aging drug. In the meantime, however, high-intensity exercise like Peak 8 appears to be the most effective all-natural approach to slow down the aging process by reducing telomere shortening. In fact, research has shown there's a direct association between reduced telomere shortening in your later years and high-intensity-type exercises. In a study published in Mechanisms of Aging and Development, the authors state: "The results of the present study provide evidence that leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is related to regular vigorous aerobic exercise and maximal aerobic exercise capacity with aging in healthy humans. LTL is not influenced by aerobic exercise status among young subjects, presumably because TL is intact (i.e., already normal) in sedentary healthy young adults. However, as LTL shortens with aging it appears that maintenance of aerobic fitness, produced by chronic strenuous exercise and reflected by higher VO2max, acts to preserve LTL. ... Our results indicate that leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is preserved in healthy older adults who perform vigorous aerobic exercise and is positively related to maximal aerobic exercise capacity. This may represent a novel molecular mechanism underlying the "anti-aging" effects of maintaining high aerobic fitness." Peak 8—Your Best Anti-Aging Prescription Avoid being fooled like 95 percent of those that are exercising. Traditional cardio is not your best bet at improving your health and life, high intensity exercises are. Peak 8 exercises are a perfect example of high-intensity exercises. The key to performing them properly is to raise your heart rate up to your anaerobic threshold. You keep pushing at maximum effort for 20 to 30 seconds, and then recover for 90 seconds. The cycle is then repeated for a total of eight repetitions. Because it is very difficult to accurately measure your heart rate when it is this high it would be best to use a heart rate monitor until you are comfortable with precisely the amount of exertion you need to reach your target zone. Peak 8 exercises can be performed with any type of exercise -- with or without equipment. So, while having access to a gym or exercise equipment will provide you with a larger variety of options, you don't require either. You can just as easily perform Peak 8 by walking or running outdoors. Another benefit is the time it will save you. Instead of doing an hour-long cardio workout, you'll be done in 20 minutes or so. The actual sprinting totals only 4 minutes! The other exciting benefit of Peak 8-style exercises is its ability to naturally increase your body's production of human growth hormone (HGH), which also plays a significant role in the aging process. More (diagrams and videos) at link. Also see: www.boxingscene.com/nutrition/127.php
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