Dye-Free Diet
What Is the Dye-Free Diet?
Following a dye-free diet is simply the removal of all artificial food dyes from the diet and either replacing them with natural food colorings or avoiding all food colorings altogether through the consumption of whole foods.
The dye-free diet involves the avoidance of all artificial dyes including:
FD&C Blue No. 1
FD&C Blue No. 2
FD&C Green No. 3
FD&C Red No. 3
FD&C Red No. 40
FD&C Yellow No. 5
FD&C Yellow No. 6
Those that would benefit most from this diet may be children whose parents have noticed that artificial food dyes/colorings seem to negatively affect their child’s behavior.
Artificial dyes may have neurotoxic chemicals that can aggravate mental health problems. Many families with autistic children avoid food dyes in their diet in order to avoid behavioral issues [1]
The FDA concluded that certain food components, including artificial food colors, do not appear to have inherent neurotoxic properties but that some neurobiologic and/or immunologic properties of a subpopulation predispose the group to have an intolerance to specific food items, resulting in a behavioral response. [2] Children with autism or ADHD would qualify as a predisposed subpopulation.
Most foods containing artificial dyes also contain high amounts of sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or other artificial ingredients which could contribute to unfavorable behavioral changes.
Similar diets include the Feingold and Failsafe diets, though they limit more food additives.
Recommended Foods
Whole foods such as:
Beans and legumes
Fresh or frozen protein options such as fish or meat like beef, pork, turkey, chicken
Butter, olive oil, coconut oil or other fats
Dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese
Grains like rice, quinoa or oats and grain-based foods like pasta, bread etc
Fresh, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables
For recommendations on food dye alternatives, see the food dyes page. Each section has it’s own recommendations and tutorials!
Foods to Avoid
Any and all foods that contain the following food dyes/colorings:
FD&C Blue No. 1
FD&C Blue No. 2
FD&C Green No. 3
FD&C Red No. 3
FD&C Red No. 40
FD&C Yellow No. 5
FD&C Yellow No. 6
These food dyes are often found in candy, desserts and baked goods, beverages, cereal, medications and even cosmetics and personal care products. The artificial colors can be absorbed through the skin.
For more, see the Food Dyes note.
Lifestyle Changes
For success with this diet, reading labels is an absolute must.
Consider looking at your personal care products, such as lotions, shampoos, and conditioners.
Learn the other names for the common food dyes as well so you can identify them on a label if they are used. Some examples include:
Yellow 5 = Tartrazine
Yellow 6 = Sunset yellow
Red 40 = Allura red
Supplements & Medications
Some supplements and medications may use artificial dyes. Be sure to read the back of the label to be sure. If your medication does include artificial dyes, you can ask your pharmacy to compound it without any dyes.
DISCLAIMER: Before starting or altering any supplement or medication, always consult with your healthcare provider to ensure it is a good fit for your child.
The Dye-Free Diet in the Research
Food Dyes Correlated With Behavior
A recent meta-analysis on food dyes was published in 2020. Many of the studies they referred to in their meta-analysis had small study sizes with possible bias. More research needs to be done in this area to verify all of their findings. [1]
There may be a correlation between yellow dye and sleep disturbance.
Food colors Blue 1 and 2, Green 3, Red 3, Yellow 5 and 6, Citrus Red 2, and Red 40 can trigger behaviors in kids.
A study conducted at Southampton University in England found a link between food dyes and hyperactive behavior in children.
Artificial food color usually contains petroleum and is manufactured in a chemical process that includes formaldehyde, aniline, hydroxides, and sulfuric acids. Most impurities in the food color are in the form of salts or acids. Sometimes lead, arsenic, and mercury may be present as impurities.
The consumption of synthetic food colors, and their ability to bind with body proteins, can have significant immunological consequences, such as activating the inflammatory cascade which can result in the induction of intestinal permeability to large antigenic molecules, and could lead to cross-reactivities, autoimmunities, and even neurobehavioral disorders. [3]
Artificial colors or a sodium benzoate preservative (or both) in the diet resulted in increased hyperactivity in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the general population.[4]
Food Dye Intake in Children
Among children, ages 2-18, the most consumed food dyes are Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. The foods which contributed most to exposure were breakfast cereal, juice drinks, soft drinks, and frozen dairy desserts/sherbet/ice cream/frozen yogurt. [5]
Amounts of artificial food colors reported here show that many children could be consuming far more dyes than previously thought. [6]
Artificial food colors are not a major cause of ADHD per se, but seem to affect children regardless of whether or not they have ADHD. More research needs to be done to confirm the findings of these small studies. [7]
Avoidance May Benefit a Subset of Children
From the in vivo and in vitro studies, these results would support the idea that a high chronic intake of food colorings throughout the entire life is not advisable. [8]
Parents of children with ADHD should be counseled to make careful food selections, choosing natural foods with no or limited amounts of synthetic food dyes, if they suspect or have concerns about a food-based association. However, it should be recognized that eliminating artificial food dyes from children's diets is not a panacea for the treatment of ADHD and only a portion of children will respond positively. [9]
A restriction diet benefits some children with ADHD. Effects of food colors were notable but susceptible to publication bias or were derived from small, non-generalizable sample. [10]
The Bottom Line
Although the research is mixed and far from settled, it seems that some children may experience behavioral symptoms due to ingestion of food dyes and this population may benefit from a dye-free diet. Regardless, there is reason to believe that some food dyes are carcinogenic and generally toxic. The dye-free diet is relatively straightforward and easy to implement, especially given the recent push for healthier and more natural ingredients, even in processed foods. The dye-free diet may be a good place to start for some families interested in reducing toxins and gradually improving their child’s diet.
Diet Rating
Rating Scale = 1 - 5 Stars ★
We rate the quality and quantity of the Research supporting the efficacy of the diet in improving symptoms as well as the Ease of Adherence, taking into account the cost, resources available, time required, social acclimation to the diet including options available in restaurants and grocery stores which assist in convenience and adherence
Ease of Adherence ★★★★
This diet is one of the easier diets to follow.
Research ★★★
Although more objective research is needed, there is decent evidence to suggest that a dye-free diet would be beneficial for some people.
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[1] Bakthavachalu P, Kannan SM, Qoronfleh MW. Food Color and Autism: A Meta-Analysis. Adv Neurobiol. 2020;24:481-504.
[2] Cheeseman MA. Artificial food color additives and child behavior. Environ Health Perspect. 2012;120(1):A15-6.
[3] Vojdani A, Vojdani C. Immune reactivity to food coloring. Altern Ther Health Med. 2015;21 Suppl 1:52-62.
[4] Mccann D, Barrett A, Cooper A, et al. Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2007;370(9598):1560-7.
[5] Doell DL, Folmer DE, Lee HS, Butts KM, Carberry SE. Exposure estimate for FD&C colour additives for the US population. Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess. 2016;33(5):782-97.
[6] Stevens LJ, Burgess JR, Stochelski MA, Kuczek T. Amounts of artificial food dyes and added sugars in foods and sweets commonly consumed by children. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2015;54(4):309-21.
[7] Arnold LE, Lofthouse N, Hurt E. Artificial food colors and attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms: conclusions to dye for. Neurotherapeutics. 2012;9(3):599-609.
[8] Merinas-amo R, Martínez-jurado M, Jurado-güeto S, Alonso-moraga Á, Merinas-amo T. Biological Effects of Food Coloring in In Vivo and In Vitro Model Systems. Foods. 2019;8(5)
[9] Kanarek RB. Artificial food dyes and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Nutr Rev. 2011;69(7):385-91.
[10] Nigg JT, Lewis K, Edinger T, Falk M. Meta-analysis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, restriction diet, and synthetic food color additives. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2012;51(1):86-97.e8.
