Reviewed by Jessie, BSc Biomedical Science · Formulation Lead, Purest Kids
TL;DR — Synthetic dyes like Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue 1 are added purely for colour — they have no nutritional purpose. Regulators consider them safe at typical intakes, but some research has linked them to increased hyperactivity in some children, and many parents choose to avoid them. The simplest stance: there's no benefit to your child from a dye, so why include one?
What these dyes are — and aren't
Artificial colours such as Red 40 (Allura Red), Yellow 5 (Tartrazine), Yellow 6, and Blue 1 are petroleum-derived compounds added to food and supplements to make them look brighter or more appealing. That's their entire job. They add nothing nutritional. They exist to make a gummy redder or a drink more vivid.
It's worth sitting with that: a dye is a cosmetic ingredient in something your child consumes. The question isn't really "is it dangerous?" so much as "what is it even doing here?"
What the evidence says
Two things can be true at once:
- Regulators in major markets have reviewed these dyes and permit them, considering them safe at typical levels of intake.
- Some studies — including influential research that prompted warning labels in parts of Europe — have linked certain artificial colours (often combined with a preservative) to increased hyperactivity or restlessness in some children. The effect isn't universal, and not every child is affected, but it's been taken seriously enough to influence regulation.
So the honest summary: not proven to be harmful for most kids, but not entirely cleared either, with a plausible signal in sensitive children.
Why many parents simply avoid them
Given that dyes offer zero benefit to the child, the cost-benefit is lopsided. There's no upside to weigh against even a small, uncertain risk. For many families, that makes avoidance an easy call — not out of fear, but out of "why bother including it?"
This is different from, say, debating a nutrient with real benefits. With dyes, there's nothing on the benefit side of the scale.
How to spot them on a label
- Look in the "other ingredients" or colours list.
- Watch for names like Red 40, Yellow 5/6, Blue 1, or "FD&C" colours.
- Natural alternatives exist (e.g. colour from fruit or vegetable sources), though often a product simply doesn't need added colour at all.
A note on perspective
Avoiding dyes is reasonable, but keep it in proportion — a cupcake at a party won't undo good habits. The aim is reducing routine, daily, unnecessary exposure, especially in products taken every single day like supplements.
Where Purest Kids fits
We don't add artificial dyes to our products. A child's daily supplement is exactly the kind of everyday item where a cosmetic dye has no place — there's no benefit to justify it. We'd rather the colour come from the actual ingredients than from a petroleum-derived additive.
Further reading
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP): food additives and children
- Research on artificial food colours and hyperactivity (e.g. Southampton study)
- Regulatory reviews (FDA, EFSA) on permitted colours
Educational only; not medical advice.