They’re Hiding It in Everything—And Most Parents Have No Idea

By Dr. Stacie Stephenson

I used to think I was doing everything right.

Organic when I could. “Natural” snacks for the kids. Colorful cereals with “added vitamins.” Even the gummy vitamins themselves.

Then I started reading the labels.
And that’s when I realized: Red Dye 40 was everywhere.

Here’s What They Don’t Want You to Know

Food dye isn’t just in candy and Kool-Aid anymore.
It’s in your child’s cough syrup.
It’s in the “berry” flavored yogurt.
It’s in cereal bars, toothpaste, salad dressing, sports drinks, vitamins, protein shakes, and even pickles.

We are surrounded. And it’s not by accident.

These dyes are cheap, eye-catching, and addictive.
They’re used to make fake food look real, and real food look more appealing. And they’re almost never necessary.

But here’s the catch:
They’re not just harmless little additives.
Red 40 has been linked to behavioral issues in children, hormone disruption, DNA damage, and allergic reactions. Other countries have banned it. But here in the U.S., it’s business as usual.

“But It’s FDA Approved…”

So is aspartame. So are seed oils. So is a long list of chemicals I wouldn’t let near my kids.
Just because something is approved doesn’t mean it’s safe.
It means it passed a test that benefits the manufacturer—not necessarily your family.
What we call “normal” in this country would raise alarms elsewhere.
And the truth is, most people don’t even know they’re being exposed.

I’m Not Trying to Scare You—But I Am Trying to Wake You Up

When parents find out what’s really in their pantry, the reactions are always the same: “Wait… this is in their vitamins?”
“I had no idea it was in toothpaste.”
“Even the allergy medicine??”

Yes. Yes. And yes.

The system is set up to make it easy to choose convenience—and hard to choose better.
But I believe in your ability to fight back. To read the label. To say no, even when your kid is begging for the neon fruit snacks.

Start Small. But Start Now.

● Look for “Red 40,” “Yellow 5,” and “Blue 1” on every label.
● Choose clear liquids over dyed meds.
● Switch your multivitamins to dye-free.
● Make a list of go-to swaps you can rely on at the grocery store.
● And most importantly: talk about it.

Because the more of us that wake up, the harder it becomes to ignore.
This isn’t about fear—it’s about power.

And knowledge is how we take it back.