7 thoughts on “FoodBabe petitions Kraft to remove yellow dyes from mac-n-cheese; No scientific evidence of harm, though”
I don’t know about hyperactivity, but there is a harm to some us who are allergic to artificial yellow food coloring, probably more common than most would believe. After a series of outbreaks – rash, swelling, anaphylactic shock once – I determined the culprit to be FDC Yellow 5 & 6. I stopped eating it, the reactions ceased. I went to an allergist to confirm and he told me that if I was allergic to artificial yellow, I would be allergic to aspirin as well, describing them as “chemical cousins”. I have become a voracious food label reader, and only take acetaminaphen, and no problems for years now. Kraft should stop coloring their food that way. Betacarotene is a good alternative.
I suppose if you were able to determine that all “hyperactive” children eat Kraft mac-n-cheese prior to their hyperactivity, that there are no other variables in a child’s behavior, let alone a large enough study group of children to make any statistical observations worth while and you were able to determine a base line amount of activity for a child you could point out some form of correlation…
I really don’t see why a Corporation would not just create another product?
Most of the food production lines have multiple “take-offs” that route the same exact product to different packaging for different customers and to meet different marketing targets. If Kraft is smart, and I’ll bet they are, they would create a take-off right before the “ADD DYE HERE” stage, put that product in a different box, call it…. “Albino-Mac”, or… “Mac-Whitey”, and mark it up 30%!. The costs of placating knuckleheads should make the exercise worth their while, and it almost ALWAYS works… look at the way “Whole Food” marketing works, they ALWAYS charge more because the yuppies have the money and feel good about themselves spending it to prove to their neighbors and dinner party guest how hip and smart they are…. why shouldn’t Kraft get some of that action?!?!?!
In my experience hyperactivity in juveniles is a result of the convergence of two common factors. The presence of a high carbohydrate/sugar diet and the absence of high energy physical activity. My mother would send us outside to run and play. We would play baseball, basketball, race our bikes, etc.
Yellow food had squat to do with it.
Exactly. I observed for a long time that “hyperactivity” is the name given to a child’s behaviour in the absence of intrinsic inhibitions or oppression. Also, if you consider that the term is mostly used (and was probably invented) by schoolteachers and other “caregivers”, you can see that it represents a discrepancy between one’s ideals and how nature really works.
“Hyperactivity” is normal activity that children do in order to develop physically and neurogolically and keep their weight normal. Obesity occurs when they “hyperactivity” is shut down to watch “Barney” for all day long.
Color is part of food’s appeal, along with taste and texture and smell and temperature and on and on. Food is a multi-sensory experience, which is why I like to fry eggs behind bacon.
There may be no need for yellow dye in mac-and-cheese but it’s safe and we know that. As our host asks, “Where are the bodies?”
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I don’t know about hyperactivity, but there is a harm to some us who are allergic to artificial yellow food coloring, probably more common than most would believe. After a series of outbreaks – rash, swelling, anaphylactic shock once – I determined the culprit to be FDC Yellow 5 & 6. I stopped eating it, the reactions ceased. I went to an allergist to confirm and he told me that if I was allergic to artificial yellow, I would be allergic to aspirin as well, describing them as “chemical cousins”. I have become a voracious food label reader, and only take acetaminaphen, and no problems for years now. Kraft should stop coloring their food that way. Betacarotene is a good alternative.
I suppose if you were able to determine that all “hyperactive” children eat Kraft mac-n-cheese prior to their hyperactivity, that there are no other variables in a child’s behavior, let alone a large enough study group of children to make any statistical observations worth while and you were able to determine a base line amount of activity for a child you could point out some form of correlation…
I really don’t see why a Corporation would not just create another product?
Most of the food production lines have multiple “take-offs” that route the same exact product to different packaging for different customers and to meet different marketing targets. If Kraft is smart, and I’ll bet they are, they would create a take-off right before the “ADD DYE HERE” stage, put that product in a different box, call it…. “Albino-Mac”, or… “Mac-Whitey”, and mark it up 30%!. The costs of placating knuckleheads should make the exercise worth their while, and it almost ALWAYS works… look at the way “Whole Food” marketing works, they ALWAYS charge more because the yuppies have the money and feel good about themselves spending it to prove to their neighbors and dinner party guest how hip and smart they are…. why shouldn’t Kraft get some of that action?!?!?!
In my experience hyperactivity in juveniles is a result of the convergence of two common factors. The presence of a high carbohydrate/sugar diet and the absence of high energy physical activity. My mother would send us outside to run and play. We would play baseball, basketball, race our bikes, etc.
Yellow food had squat to do with it.
Exactly. I observed for a long time that “hyperactivity” is the name given to a child’s behaviour in the absence of intrinsic inhibitions or oppression. Also, if you consider that the term is mostly used (and was probably invented) by schoolteachers and other “caregivers”, you can see that it represents a discrepancy between one’s ideals and how nature really works.
“Hyperactivity” is normal activity that children do in order to develop physically and neurogolically and keep their weight normal. Obesity occurs when they “hyperactivity” is shut down to watch “Barney” for all day long.
Color is part of food’s appeal, along with taste and texture and smell and temperature and on and on. Food is a multi-sensory experience, which is why I like to fry eggs behind bacon.
There may be no need for yellow dye in mac-and-cheese but it’s safe and we know that. As our host asks, “Where are the bodies?”