Are Natural Food Dyes Actually Better? Here Are the Pros and Cons

Now that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a ban on red dye No.3, it’s fair to wonder about dyes in your food. Several companies have moved toward using natural dyes in their food products over the last few years, but artificial dyes still dominate the market. 

Still, the FDA’s ban, along with bans on certain artificial food dyes in California and a growing body of research that links artificial dyes with health issues, suggest that these manufactured food colorings are on the way out. 

Most people aren’t as well versed in natural food dyes as they are the artificial versions, raising a lot of questions about what these are and how you can even find them in products. Here’s what a dietitian, food safety expert, and toxicologist want you to know. 

What is a “natural” food dye?

This definition is tricky to pin down. “There is no official definition of ‘natural’ when it comes to food dye,” says Jessica Cording, RD, author of The Little Book of Game-Changers. However, natural food dyes are usually derived from natural sources, like plants, minerals, or animals, versus being created in a lab like artificial dyes, says Darin Detwiler, author of the book Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions and a professor at Northeastern University.

“These dyes undergo minimal processing,” Detwiler says. But while natural food dyes sound better, they aren’t perfect. “Natural food dyes tend to be less stable than artificial dyes, meaning their color can degrade under certain conditions — heat, light, and oxidation,” Detwiler says. 

Natural food dyes also may not look as good as their faux counterparts. “Sometimes — not always — these dyes are a bit less vibrant,” says Jamie Alan, PhD, an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University. Some natural dyes, like carmine and turmeric, also come with a risk of allergic reactions and even medication interactions, Detwiler says. 

Finally, natural dyes are “significantly” more expensive than artificial dyes, per Detwiler. This is due to a combination of factors, including the need to source the dyes, use natural materials to create them, process and stabilize the dyes, and help them to maintain their shelf life, he explains.

What natural dyes are currently approved for use in the U.S.?

While artificial food dyes need to be approved for use by the FDA, natural food coloring is slightly different. 

Dyes are “exempt from certification” when they’re derived from natural sources like vegetables, minerals, or animals, per the FDA. Meaning, they don’t need specific FDA approval to enter the food supply. 

The FDA lists these as natural dyes as examples of color additives that are exempt from certification:

• Annatto extract (yellow)
• Dehydrated beets (bluish-red to brown)
• Caramel (yellow to tan)
• Beta-carotene (yellow to orange)
• Grape skin extract (red or purple)

However, Detwiler says these are also popular natural dyes:

• Turmeric extract (yellow)
• Spirulina extract (blue-green)
• Carrot juice concentrate (orange or yellow)
• Paprika extract (red-orange)
• Elderberry juice (deep purple or blue)
• Carmine (red)

How to tell if a food dye is natural

The best way to determine whether a food dye in a product is natural is to look at the ingredients list. Natural dyes usually include ingredients such as “beetroot powder,” “turmeric,” “annatto extract,” or “beta-carotene,” or they may simply state “natural color.”

“Keep an eye out for things you recognize,” Cording says. Some ingredients will also clearly spell out if an ingredient is used for color, making it easier to spot these dyes.

While natural food dyes aren’t perfect, Cording says the move to natural food coloring is a good thing for consumers. “I expect that companies will change up their formulas in the future,” she says.