Natural Food Coloring

From LoveToKnow Organic

Natural food coloring is gaining in use and popularity due to many of the latest reports coming from the scientific community concerned with food safety.

Artificial Colorings May Be Harmful

Scientists have determined a link between artificial food coloring and cancer. Other studies have linked artificial food coloring with brain tumors, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), and other disruptive behavior, especially in children. It’s believed that the tar and hydrocarbon derivatives as well as petrochemicals used to manufacture artificial food coloring are the culprits to these diseases and disorders.

None of these additives have any beneficial or nutritional value to the human body. The concern is so great that the FDA (Food and Drug Association) has ordered warning labels be placed on foods containing artificial dyes and coloring.

There’s pressure from advocacy groups to ban the sale and use of some of the most common dyes and colorings.

Blue #1 and #2
Green #3
Orange B
Red #40 and #3
Yellow #5 and #6

Natural Food Coloring

Plant extracts are a natural way to add food coloring to foodstuff without all of the harmful side-effects found in artificial ones. In fact, most of these extracts are high in bioflavonoids, antioxidants, and polyphenols which are beneficial when added to your diet.

Find a Natural Coloring

There are several companies who’ve taken up the challenge to create safe harmless natural ways to color your food.

Nature’s Flavors

Nature’s Flavors was one of the first companies to develop natural coloring and natural flavorings. Most of the food colorings are kosher, gluten-free, organic, and vegan. Nature’s offers food colorings that are taken mostly from vegetables. The color is sold in powder form.

Below are the listings for each coloring along with suggestions on how to get the best results from the coloring:

India Tree

India Tree produces Nature’s Colors, natural decorating colorings in vegetable liquid form.

The colors available are red, yellow and blue:

Blue is made from red cabbage, glycerin and de-ionized water.
Red is made from beet juice and citric acid.
Yellow is made from turmeric, de-ionized water and sodium hydroxide

You can purchase these from:

Seelect Tea

Seelect’s Natural Food Colors are derived from various fruits and vegetables and contain many beneficial antioxidants. Some of these food colorings are organic and all are natural.

Select Tea even offers three hues of red and many other colors:

Chefmaster Natural Coloring

Chefmaster is an internationally known maker of decorating food colors has a line of natural coloring for food. While you may think it can only be used for icings, it can easily be use for any kind of food coloring.

Some Available Colors:

Green
Blue
Brown
Pink
Purple
Yellow
Orange

You can shop for these online at Bakers Nook

Make Your Own Food Coloring

You can make your own food coloring by using other foods. You’ll need to use a sieve to strain the pulp from the juice and then add as much of the juice as needed for the desired color. Berries are good choice for making colored icing.

Foods That Color Other Foods:

Beets
Saffron
Turmeric
Raspberries
Avocado
Blueberries
Blackberries

Bugs For Coloring

It may sound fishy, but it’s true, bugs are the hottest wave in food coloring. Cochineal, which is a red beetle, has been used for decades to add a red color to food.

Some of those foods are:

Candy
Jam
Yogurt
Milk
Sausage
Marinades
Sauces
Cola drinks

The way for you to know if you’re consuming red beetles is to check the label. Although it won’t read, red beetle, it can appear under several different names that unless you know what they are, you’d never suspect what it is.

Red Beetle Color: