Easter is soon upon us, so I would like to take this time to shine a light on artificial food dyes and how they affect our systems. 

The chemicals in dyes, sugar, and processed unnatural foods tend to tear down and weaken our bodies when used over time. It’s amazing how our bodies respond so positively to a daily diet of herbs, unpressed foods, stretching and a positive attitude and community. On that note, a quick shout out to our community we are building here. I always walk away feeling the love and pride in watching to grow. Blessings to each and every one of you.

Sugar compromises our immune system and dyes have been found to be the cause of behavioral issues and allergic reactions. Some dyes are made from coal tar and some from petroleum.  Chemical drugs have side effects and health hazards that can be even more dangerous than the disease itself. In the United States it is reported that every year about 1.5 million people are hospitalized due to the side effects of chemical medications. I’m not saying to stop taking what your doctor prescribed, what I am saying is that there are options.  Just by being aware and taking steps to get away from chemical laced products can help. You can start with adding herbs to your diet and getting away from harmful dyes is a big step.

I am very concerned of the effects especially with our little ones consuming so many man made dyes that are in our foods and treats. Some of our children (and adults) are being misdiagnosed with mental and behavioral disorders when their bodies are just reacting to the chemicals in the food they are eating. If it can be labeled a disorder or disease than they can come up with a drug for it. This topic is huge so I ask you to do your due diligence and check this out for yourself. I recommend starting with Dr Rebecca Bevans “The Effects of Artificial Food Dyes” and Pubmed, the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Dr Rebecca Bevans talks about how these colors have been found to cause these symptoms:

-RED#40- hyperactivity, migraines, impulsiveness, fidgeting, brain buzzing, symptoms are similar to ADHD and can last for 1-2 days.

-GREEN #3- mania, hyperactivity, feeling of euphoria symptoms are similar to Bi-Polar Disorder and can last about 24 hours.  

-Blue#1- irritability, moodiness and fatigue these symptoms can last approximately 24 hours.

-Yellow#5 & #6- anxiety, aggravation, aggression, defiance, violent outbursts & suicidal thoughts, are symptoms that are similar to Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder which is a mental disorder, and can last about 5 days.

From Pubmed: Red 3 causes cancer in animals, and there is evidence that several other dyes also are carcinogenic. Three dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) have been found to be contaminated with benzidine or other carcinogens. At least four dyes (Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) cause hypersensitivity reactions. 

For these reasons I have compiled this list of natural dyes. These dyes can be used to dye foods such as boiled eggs (shells off or on) or even material. By using these as a dye you are also adding extra nutrients to your fun foods.  

Dyeing eggs:

Ingredients: Once you get the hang of dyeing naturally, you'll work in panful’s and handfuls, here is a baseline to get you started:  

-4 cups water
-Dyestuff (about 2-4 T. ground herbs and spices or 1 cup whole or cut and sifted herbs) experiment with it. If you have   more than 6 eggs you'll need more dyestuff.
-1 tablespoon mordant (see below)
-4 to 6 eggs, washed to remove any coating (Use raw eggs for hot bath, hard-boiled for cold.)   

*For best results with this color*, add botanicals to the water while cooking eggs. Using powders of these foods are easiest to work with and are richer in color.  

Mordant: Alum, cream of tartar, or white vinegar will help the colors penetrate the eggshell. (Mordants aren't necessary, but you'll get better results if you use one.)
Pots: Enamel or glass pots (not aluminum) are best.
Water: Use distilled water or water that is chlorine-filtered.
Eggs: White eggs will display the subtle, natural colors better than brown or green eggs.
Dyestuff:The more eggs you're dying, the more dyestuff you'll need for richer color. Have fun experimenting with herbs and spices to see what colors they impart, here are some suggestions to get you started:

Bring water, dyestuff, and mordant to a boil. Add eggs and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let sit another 15 minutes or more, until desired color. Remove eggs, gently rinse in lukewarm water, and let air dry.

Make a dye-bath by bringing water, dyestuff, and mordant to a boil. Simmer the dyestuff until the water is deeply colored, anywhere from half an hour to a couple of hours. Strain the liquid and cool. You can add dry hard-boiled eggs to the dye, and let soak until desired color is reached overnight in the refrigerator.

Add sheen to your eggs by gently wiping the dry, dyed shell with vegetable oil.
Consider dyeing an egg in more than one color. (Let dry between dyeing.)
Experiment with fun techniques: Wrap an egg in rubber bands or apply masking tape in patterns before dying, for a batik effect. Wrap an egg in leaves (hold them in place with a nylon stocking) before dying. For a stippled effect, pat an egg with a sponge while still wet. And to marbleize your egg, add a drop of oil to the dye liquid.
For a smoother look, dye eggs in strained liquid. For more texture, leave in the dyestuff.
Don't over stir the eggs while simmering, or over handle them once you remove them from the dye. The outer shell, softened from the mordant, can rub off.

Use the cold bath method, or (if you're after richer color) start with the hot bath, but cook the eggs just until the desired doneness. Then remove them from the pan, strain and cool the liquid, and place them back in. Put the soaking egg in the refrigerator, remove after desired color, rinse, and let air dry.  

Cleaned eggs need to be refrigerated. They can lose more quality in one hour at room temperature than they will in one week in the refrigerator. Store them in their original carton to prevent them from absorbing odors of the refrigerator. Do not store them in the door compartment as this is the warmest place in the refrigerator.  

Although making your own dyes are fun and empowering to play with in such things as colorful mashed potatoes or dying a tee shirt, its nice to know that we can use a quick alternative. I have used Watkins no artificial dyes, but there are many now days to choose from.  

Wado