Hi Reader,

Food dyes have been all over the news—and if you’re a parent, you might be wondering if you’re supposed to start checking every ingredient label for Red 40.

The FDA is moving to phase synthetic food dyes out of the U.S. food supply, citing concerns about children’s health. But some of the claims being made about dyes go quite a bit further than the research does.

So let’s separate what we actually know from what makes a good headline.

Are synthetic food dyes harmful?

Most children don’t experience any effects from consuming synthetic dyes. However, some children may be sensitive to them, and consuming them may contribute to hyperactivity and other behavioral effects.

There is some evidence that dyes can worsen symptoms in certain children with ADHD. But that’s NOT evidence that food dyes cause children to develop ADHD.

Claims that food dyes contribute to the development of ADHD, childhood obesity, diabetes, or depression are not substantiated by current evidence.

And although they may not be harmful to most children, they aren’t nutritionally beneficial, either. They don’t provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, or other nutrients.

Does dye-free mean healthier?

Not necessarily.

Food dye itself contributes no nutritional value—its function is purely for appearance. I see nothing wrong with avoiding dyes or removing them from foods.

But the foods that dyes often show up in tend not to be the most nutritious choices anyway.

For example, switching from fruit snacks with synthetic dyes to fruit snacks colored naturally will STILL give you a snack with a lot of added sugar, no protein, and no fiber.

Sugar-filled Gatorade is still sugar-filled without the dye.

So it’s still important to consider the overall nutrition of the foods your kids are eating, whether or not they contain synthetic dyes.

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Aren’t synthetic food dyes being banned?

Sort of.

The FDA has banned Red 3 and is moving toward phasing petroleum-based synthetic food dyes out of the U.S. food supply, with a goal of removing Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, and Green 3 by the end of 2027.

Those six dyes aren’t technically being banned at the federal level. Instead, the FDA is working with food manufacturers to voluntarily eliminate them from the food supply.

So should we avoid them?

If you have a hunch your kid may be sensitive, then I would! And regardless, I would try to limit the foods that are not the healthiest that tend to be neon colored. 😜

But there is no research to suggest that most kids need to strictly avoid them at all costs.

Want to see the research?

1. ​The FDA’s overview of what we currently know about food dyes, including potential behavioral effects in children.
2. ​This meta-analysis found evidence of a small effect of synthetic food colors on ADHD-related symptoms, with results varying depending on the outcome and study design.
3. ​A systematic review of the evidence for dietary approaches to ADHD, including elimination of artificial food colors.
4. ​A large review of the evidence that concluded synthetic food dyes may affect behavior in some children.

Recipes to Make for Your Kids This Week

1. ​Hidden Protein Banana Oatmeal — this is one of my favorites for a comforting, warm, & simple breakfast!
2. ​Mini Beef Meatballs — Teddy used to love the Earth’s Best frozen mini meatballs, but they no longer exist, so I started making our own!
3. ​Pumpkin Muffins — it’s not truly Fall if you haven’t made some
4. ​Cheesy Egg Bites — a meal prep classic! I made these with picky kids in mind who don’t like chunks of anything mixed into their eggs.
5. ​No-Bake Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Balls — GREAT after school snack!

And for some levity...

I just got Emilia a new cotton duvet insert, and was so excited for her to try it out, because her old one made her sweat buckets.

So naturally, in the middle of the first night I put it on her bed, she woke up to a bloody nose, and I received the gift of stripping her bed and strain treating everything less than 24 hours after I put it all on.

A big deal in the scheme of things? Nah, but still a bummer.

Good news—she LOVES the duvet!

Have the best week,

P.S. Just so you’re in the loop – next week I’m going to send my regular newsletter on Tuesday instead of Monday. After that, we’ll be back to the normal Monday routine. ☺️

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© Mama Knows Nutrition 2026
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