Acesulfame potassium is a zero-calorie sweetener that is added to many sugar-free…
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Red #3
Red #3
Red #3
What is it:
Red #3, also known as erythrosine, is a synthetic dye derived from petroleum products that give foods and drinks a dark red appearance. Red #3 dye is typically found in desserts or candy, but can also pop up in breakfast cereals and supplements.
Rating:
Red #3 is a known carcinogen (according to the FDA) and has been demonstrated to cause cancer in animals. It has also been shown that Red #3 leads to hyperactivity and other behavioral issues in children. Small children tend to consume much more Red #3 relative to their body weight due to its use in candy. Levels of dye considered safe by the FDA do not take newer research into account. Red #3 has been banned from use in other areas such as cosmetics or topical medicines, and has also been banned in the European Union for all uses except for candied and cocktail cherries.
Resources:
How we rate ingredients
Health is like a bank account, certain ingredients make a deposit into your health bank, meaning they add to
your health. Certain ingredients withdraw from your health bank. We want health promoting ingredients in our diet. To keep things simple, we rate ingredients on a green, yellow, red scale:
Clean
It is naturally occurring in food and has no harmful effects on the body. It is real food. It is health promoting.
Caution
It goes into one or more of the below categories
- It is not naturally occurring in food but doesn’t have data showing it has a harmful effect on the body (additives like Gellan Gum)
- It is naturally occurring but can have some harmful effects on the body (added sugars, oils, gums etc.)
We Avoid
It is known to have a harmful effect on the body (ex. All food colorings, Natural Flavors, MSG, Potassium bromate, aspartame, artificial flavors)
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