Our Natural Earth Paint customers often ask us, why should I use natural dyes for Easter eggs if I'm not eating the egg shell?
1. Conventional dyes can leech toxins into your eggs.
When you dye eggs, the dyes seep through the egg shell into the hard boiled egg, and then the egg is eaten! Have you ever seen that little bit of color on the egg when you peel it after dying it? Toxins from conventional egg dyes can be in your eggs even if you can't see that color, and especially if you can.
2. Conventional dyes are questionably-sourced and environmentally harmful.
Most food dyes and egg dye kits, even those approved by the FDA, include colors synthesized from petroleum derivatives and highly toxic sources. Originally made from coal tar, Red #40 is now made from petroleum. Other dyes commonly used - Blue #1, Red #3, Yellow #5 and #6 - are equally as hazardous - read details below. "Natural" red dyes are made from carmine, which is essentially squashed bugs. How gross is that? These bugs are farmed and crushed on a massive scale; almost 100,000 of these insects must be killed to yield about 35 ounces of carmine. This process isn't vegetarian or kosher, let alone ecologically responsible.
3. Conventional dyes are a health hazard.
Egg dying can be messy, especially when you dye eggs with little ones. The egg dye can get on their hands, clothing, and countertops, dying a lot more than just the eggs! Exposing children's skin to these toxins can be extremely detrimental to their health, and US studies on the chemical Red #40 show correlations between exposure to the chemical and hyperactivity as well as ADHD symptoms. Still, Red #40 is the most prevalent food dye in the United States.
So what's the alternative?
Our Natural Egg Dye is made from food-grade ingredients like veggies and spices. It produces bright and beautiful dyed eggs free from toxins and environmentally harmful ingredients. By purchasing our egg dye, you're supporting:
- The sustainable production of beets, purple carrots, spinach, blueberries, and turmeric instead of petroleum products
- The eco-friendly use of recycled paper in packaging even though it's a more expensive packaging option
- The growth of a small, woman-owned sustainable business instead of a multi-national corporation that exploits its workers and the environment.
But what's so bad about those chemicals, anyway?
Blue #1
The dye Blue #1 can cause hypersensitivity reactions (source) and may inhibit nerve-cell development in fetuses (source). It may cause chromosomal damage (source), and there is evidence that suggest a potential for neurotoxicity (source). This dye is banned in France, the UK, and Finland.
Red #3
The dye Red #3 is linked to a possible increased risk of thyroid tumors (source). It has also been found to be genotoxic, damaging to genetic information within cells (source). The FDA made an attempt to ban it in the United States, but has not yet banned the dye in all products.
Yellow #5
The dye Yellow #5 can cause irritability, restlessness, and sleep disturbance in children (source). It has been found to contain carcinogens (source) and can cause hives (source) and asthma symptoms (source).This dye is also among the top allergic response-causing food dyes (source) and may also cause hyperactivity (source). Even worse, Yellow #5 may be genotoxic, or damaging to genetic information within cells. Because of these effects, it's banned in Norway and the UK.
Yellow #6
The dye yellow #6 has been found to contain carcinogens (source) and can cause allergic reactions (source). It may also cause hyperactivity in children (source) and adrenal and testicular tumors (source). It's banned in Norway, Sweden, and the UK.
Red #40
The dye Red #40 has been found to contain carcinogens (source), and may cause allergic reactions and migraines (source). It may also cause hyperactivity in children (source) and be genotoxic (source).
Our Natural Egg Dye Kit does not contain any of these harmful chemicals; instead, we use extracts made from veggies and spices like spinach, beet, turmeric, red cabbage, and purple carrots. Plus, this kit contains no gluten, nuts, dairy, animal products, or petroleum-based ingredients. The way we see it, the best way to dye your food is with, well, food!
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