Artificial Dyes

Argumentative Essay # 113982

Child, Youth Issues
Medical and Health > Nutrition and Exercise
Nutrition > Food

Artificial Dyes

An argument that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should ban artificial dyes from our foods.

2,455 words () | 19 sources | APA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the Feingold Program that offers a food regimen that avoids salicylates, artificial dyes and artificial flavorings for children with problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The paper then discusses the controversy surrounding this diet and the scientific evidence of the harmful effects of synthetic food additives on learning, behavior and health. The paper posits that this is an important matter to every consumer of food products because it not only affects children but adults as well and therefore the FDA should ban these artificial ingredients from being added to our foods.

From the Paper:

"The purpose of artificial coloring added to food is usually to make a low-nutrition item visually more appealing to children and even perhaps to mask the absence of nutrients. Can anyone really advise parents even those that have children without behavioral problems that the risk is really worth it? If the FDA would ban artificial food dyes this would be a less drastic step than medicating kids with stimulants such as Ritalin. At the very least, the FDA could require warning labels on foods with artificial dyes. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) urged the FDA to ban artificial food dyes linked to behavior problems. CSPI was founded by executive director Michael Jacobson, Ph.D. and 2 other scientists. CSPI has established itself as the organized voice of the American public on nutrition, food safety, health and other issues during a boom of consumer and environmental protection awareness in the early 1970s. CSPI's goals are to educate the public, advocate governmental policies that are consistent with scientific evidence on health and environmental issues, and counter industry's powerful influence on public opinion and public policies."

Sample of Sources Used:

Barrett, S. MD, (2004) The Feingold Diet Dubious Benefits, Subtle Risks
Blumenthal, D., (2001) U. S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition FDA Consumer magazine
Center for Science in the Public Interest, Information Retrieved October 20, 2008, from:http://www.cspinet.org/about/index.html
Guide to Diet, ADHD & Behavior, Retrieved September 29th, 2008 from ERIC
Henkel, J., (1993) U. S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition FDA Consumer magazine