How does the color blue make you feel? Do you associate blue with certain qualities or situations? How do you feel about food and drinks that are blue in color? Is this color safe and healthy for you and your kids?

Why you and your kids should void the color blue in your food and drinks. Because there is increasing evidence that food colourings cause hyperactivity, reflux, and gas in children. Some people believe that any parent who suspects their child's behavior and health is linked to foods containing bright food colorings, such as blue, should ban these from their diet. Foods which are causing concern include fizzy drinks, party cakes, luridly colored sweets and popular drinks.

Researchers examined the impact of six artificial colourings blue, yellow, carmoisine, red, tartrazine and ponceau. They found the activity of children who consumed a mixture of these colourings was measurably affected. Some food industries have already taken action to remove colourings from food and supermarkets have introduced labeling on products that are free from artificial colourings. Parents whose children show signs of hyperactivity and reflux might want to think about removing these artificial colours from their diets. Use of blue colourings should be restricted in all foods, not just those for children. Other additives below should also be eliminated from children's diets as well:

Tartrazine: Found in: Soft drinks, ice-cream, and sweets, fish fingers. What it is: Synthetic dye mixed with blue dyes to produce shades of green Effects: Linked to allergic reactions, migraine, gas and blurred vision. With benzoic acid may cause hyperactivity in children.

QUNOLINE: Found in: Sweets, soft drinks. What it is: Synthetic dye derived from coal tar? Also used in cosmetics and as pigment for tattoos effects: Linked to dermatitis. It is also believed to cause hyperactivity and temper tantrums in children.

SUNSET YELLOW: Found in: Sweets, yoghurts, packet bread crumbs, cheap jam. What it is: Coal tar dye Effects: Blamed for triggering stomach upsets, colic, nettle rash and swelling of the skin and has been linked for some time with hyperactivity in children CARMOISINE Found in: Sweets, yoghurts, ices, blancmanges, marzipan What it is: Coal tar dye Effects: Said to trigger reactions such as nettle rash and water retention in people allergic to aspirin. Campaigners have argued that it can cause hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder in children.

PONCEAAU: Found in: Sweets, tinned fruits, jellies, deserts, cough medicines. What it is: Derived from coal tar Effects: Linked to difficulties for asthmatics and for people allergic to aspirin, as well as being said to cause hyperactivity in children.

ALLURA RED: Found in: Sweets, soft drinks, and condiments. What it is: Coal-tar-derived dye, often mixed with yellow dyes to produce an orange colour Effects: Linked to adverse reactions to people intolerant to aspirin and to hyperactivity in children as well.A multitude of food colourings should be banned from use in food and drink products, which would force manufacturers to find healthy alternatives. The government should launch an investigation to re-evaluate the safety of all authorized food additives, with colours the first ingredients to be under review.

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