#5 Artificial Food Colourings
Research into some Artificial Food Colourings have been linked to cancer in animal tests and are believed to lead to behavioral problems in children and a reduction in IQ. Not all food colourings are thought to be dangerous (especially natural ones), but there are several that you will want to watch out for:
- Red #3 and Red #40 (E124) – sometimes found in artificial cherries, fruit cocktails and baked goods these dyes have been linked to thyroid cancer and chromosomal damage in laboratory rats
- Yellow #6 (E110) and Yellow Tartrazine (E102) – sometimes found in soda drinks, baked food and candy, these dyes have been linked to tumors of the adrenal glands and kidneys in laboratory animals
- Caramel Colourings (E150a, E150b, E150c, E150d) – often found in fizzy drinks such as cola, batter, spirits and liquor and many other products that have a brown colour. They often contains contaminants that have been shown by the U.S. National Toxicology Program to cause cancer in laboratory mice
- Green 3 / Fast Green FCF (E143) – although not as popular as it once was (it is actually prohibited in the European Union) Green 3 is sometimes found in tinned green peas, sauces and desserts and has been found to have mutagenic effects in both experimental animals and humans