Are Your Kids Eating This? It's Time to Think Twice

Do your kids love candy? That’s perfectly fine. But how often do you let them indulge, and more importantly, what kinds of candy are they eating? Did you know that some of them can be harmful to their health?

Food dyes are found in most candies, as well as in snacks, ice cream, and various dairy products. Today, small amounts of food dyes are approved by the health department, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe to consume candies that contain them.

According to Dr. Maya Rozman, who wrote about this in the Maariv newspaper, “It’s still better to consume as little as possible due to potential health risks, even from small amounts. All the candies, ‘snakes,’ toffees, and lollipops contain a large amount of dyes, especially the one considered most harmful to children—tartrazine.”

Rozman explains that scientific studies have shown excessive consumption of this dye can cause hyperactive behavior. “When foods containing this dye are eliminated and children switch to a diet free of food dyes, they calm down, and their restless behavior disappears.”

When asked what parents should do if kids insist on colorful foods, she answered, “Sometimes, a colorful package is enough. There are dairy products with vibrant packaging, while the cheese or yogurt inside is pale because it contains natural dyes—which doesn’t really matter to the kids. This also applies to candies or popsicles with colorful wrappers. You must read the product labels and choose items that contain only natural colors.”