I went to college in New York City, and when I was having a particularly rough day, my pick-me-up of choice was a cupcake from the famous Magnolia Bakery. (Might explain how I wound up baking professionally for several years.) But I didn’t want just any cupcake; it had to be one with vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream, specifically the pale green vanilla buttercream. There was something about the frosting’s minty hue that made it all the more appealing to me, though if I covered my eyes and took a bite of, say, a pink one, I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference.
Quick Overview
Now, I still enjoy a colorful treat — we eat with our eyes first, after all. But I’ve started shifting away from artificial food dyes in favor of natural colorings, especially when it comes to the baked goods I make myself. Why? For starters, I appreciate a challenge, and working with natural colors can be a little tricky (more on that in a bit). But I’ve also started thinking more about what I put into my body, and since food dyes — which are made from petroleum-derived chemicals — don’t provide flavor or aid in preservation, I prefer to avoid them when possible.
Pop-Tarts, but make ’em au naturel. A squeeze of fruit juice gives the glaze a bright glow-up, and powdered freeze-dried fruit makes for a fun sprinkle-like topper. (Britt Ross/Yahoo)
(Britt Ross/Yahoo)
Artificial food dyes’ true colors
You’ve probably come across countless headlines regarding artificial food dye bans, as they’re a widely reported-on subject at the moment. Does that mean there’s real cause for concern? Should you resist the lure of Skittles forever?
Advertisement
Advertisement
Not necessarily. As is the case with many factors that pertain to our health, simply toning things down could be a good start. “Artificial food colorings are a hot topic, and while they’re generally considered safe for most people when consumed in moderation, some studies suggest they might cause issues for certain individuals, especially when consumed in excessive amounts,” says Lauren Manaker, a registered dietitian and nutritionist. “Some people report hyperactivity or behavioral changes in kids, particularly with colors like Red 40 or Yellow 5.”
One 2021 study conducted by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) involving seven synthetic food dyes supports this: “The body of evidence from human studies indicates that synthetic food dyes are associated with adverse neurobehavioral outcomes in children, and that children vary in their sensitivity to synthetic food dyes.” It’s important to highlight that not all kids had changes in behavior after ingesting food dyes, and some of the studies included found no significant association between food dyes and behavior in children.
Since we likely won’t see any laws or bans go into effect for at least another year, it’s on us to determine our exposure to these substances. So, how much is too much? “It really depends on your personal preferences and how your body reacts,” says Manaker. “If you or your family notice any sensitivities, minimizing artificial colors might be a good idea.” Ruwan Thilakaratne, research scientist at OEHHA, adds, “Based on our 2021 report, it is recommended that children eliminate or minimize, when possible, the consumption of the synthetic food dyes studied.”
As a whole, being mindful about what we put into our bodies is never a bad thing — and that extends beyond food coloring. “What is most important to focus on is your overall diet,” stresses Manaker. “It should contain a balance of produce, nuts, beans, whole grains, lean protein and other nutrient-dense foods.”
Using natural food coloring alternatives
In my quest to use natural colors in my baking, three mediums have proven most successful:
Advertisement
Advertisement
-
Plant-based liquid dyes: If I’m coloring frosting or cake batter and don’t want to alter the flavor, I’ll use a few drops of a dye-free liquid coloring, being careful not to thin out the consistency too much. (Watery buttercream is hard to pipe!) Just note, the colors are generally not as bold as, say, an artificial gel food dye.
-
Dehydrated fruit/tea powders: Colorful powders are great because you don’t have to worry about them adding too much moisture. Many stores carry packs of freeze-dried fruits, like strawberries, so I usually buy those, then grind them into powder in a food processor. That said, some of them have a very concentrated flavor, so you’ll only want to use them if you’re OK with an end product that tastes like whichever ingredient the powder is made of. To keep them from looking grainy in frosting, I like to add a tiny bit of hot water to the powder — just enough to dissolve it — which results in a more solid color.
-
Fruit: Fresh fruit (and some vegetables, like beets and cabbage) can be cooked down to color batters, frostings and glazes (you want to cook it down to remove some of the moisture), but it’ll also impart a fruity flavor. I do love the bold hues I can achieve with fruit, as plant-based liquid food colorings are typically pastel-leaning.
No matter which route you take, it’ll be hard to achieve a bright fire-engine red, for example, but the results will be beautiful nonetheless.
My favorite products
Amazon
Amazon
Amazon
Amazon
Amazon
Amazon
I was able to get a nice pink color by adding cooked-down raspberries to my cake batter, and the yellow cake color was achieved with cooked-down mangoes. The blueberry jam in between helps the cake squares pop, and I wrapped the whole thing in pistachio marzipan to jazz it up even more. (Britt Ross/Yahoo)
(Britt Ross/Yahoo)
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.
