Eat Less Dye so You Don’t Die: Why to Eat Real Food and Avoid Preservatives and Dyes

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: just eat whole foods.  You can take all the prescription pills and supplements you want, but you will never make up for what you are missing when you don’t eat real, whole foods. Your body and cellular intelligence far outweigh what your thinking brain relies on.  There is a synergy between the nutrients that are available in real food that you can never mimic with processed foods or supplements. 

Let’s dive into the truth behind whole foods vs. processed foods—because your body knows the difference, even if your taste buds need a little convincing.

What Are Whole Foods?

Some people think I am talking about the expensive grocery store, Whole Foods Market when I tell them to eat whole foods.  Let's be honest, Whole Foods Market has more processed foods than whole foods.  When I say, eat whole foods, I mean: eat foods in their natural, unaltered state. Think of a crisp apple versus apple juice.  The crisp apple is a whole food that has its fiber and other nutrients intact. While apple juice is just one part of the apple and sometimes has added ingredients like sugar or preservatives.  If you want to learn the definition of whole foods in a real-time experiment, sign up for a free self-guided Whole30 program or contact me to coach you through 30 days of whole foods only 🙂

You can think of whole foods as essentially the “originals”—before science, machines, and marketing got involved.  These are foods that you could grow in your garden or homestead.  

Processed Foods: The Modern Impostors

Processed foods are anything that has been altered from its original form—whether that’s milling, adding sugar, injecting preservatives, or boosting the color and flavor through artificial means. Not all processing is bad, but ultra-processed foods—the ones in flashy packages with 15+ ingredients—are where we run into trouble.  These foods are often high in calories but low in nutrients, and they wreak havoc on our hormones, blood sugar, digestion, and mood because of added chemicals and sweeteners.

Almond butter is a great example of “processed food” that is still very close to its original form and doesn’t usually contain added ingredients. Beware of almond butter with added sugar or oil.  

Egg whites in a cardboard carton in the refrigerator are another example of “processed foods” that are fairly close to the original.  They don’t contain added preservatives or ingredients.  

Frozen berries are another example of a “processed food” that is nutritionally the same as the original and doesn’t include added ingredients or preservatives.  

Fermented foods, like sauerkraut and kimchi are also processed foods whose nutritional value is actually increased by processing.  

When you are evaluating a processed food, ask yourself the following questions:
Does this food have added ingredients?  If yes, then it is likely not a whole food, but rather a processed food that you do not want to eat.
You can also ask yourself: Has the processing increased or decreased the nutritional value?  Really, this is a telling question that makes it much easier to decide whether or not you will eat that food. 

The Power of Simplicity

The beautiful thing about whole foods is that they’re not complicated. They don’t need labels or barcodes to prove their worth. An avocado doesn’t come with a nutrition facts panel, but your body knows it’s rich in healthy fats, fiber, and magnesium.

I always say: eat foods that look like they came from the earth, not a lab. That is why I am absolutely opposed to the Impossible Burger, which looks nothing like beef, and contains over 21 different chemicals. 

Why Whole Foods Work With Your Body

So if we are opposed to added ingredients and processing, what do we eat?  Whole foods contain not just vitamins and minerals, but also fiber, phytonutrients, enzymes, and antioxidants. They work synergistically—meaning the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  Whole foods contain: 

• Fiber helps keep your gut microbiome happy and your blood sugar balanced. It also aid in elimination (a.k.a. Bowel movements)
• Enzymes assist digestion and nutrient absorption.  They are only available in RAW foods like fresh vegetables and fruits.
• Phytonutrients (think of the rich colors in berries or leafy greens) protect against disease and support cellular repair.  You can only get phytonutrients from plants. So you are missing out if you don’t eat fruits and vegetables.

When you eat whole foods, you’re not just feeding yourself—you’re feeding every system, cell, and microbe in your body with the intelligence of nature.

Processed Foods: The Silent Saboteurs

Let's talk about why we eat food in the first place.  Of course, we enjoy the tantalizing taste and textures of foods.  And we get a hit of dopamine or serotonin from some foods, while others can increase our adrenaline (think caffeine).  But at the end of the day, we eat food because we want to stay alive.  Our cells need macronutrients-- protein, carbohydrates, and fats--- in order to make energy for us. 

Energy is not all created equal and many fast foods are just that---FAST.  They are full of sugar or carbohydrates that quickly turn into high blood sugar and then plummet to low blood sugar. High blood sugar spikes insulin, which triggers inflammation, and your hormones and brain chemistry take a hit. These foods cause you to ride the blood sugar and mood roller coaster all day every day. Your energy, mood, and hormones spike and crash all day and all night long.    They may be convenient, but they come at a cost to your quality and quantity of life.  

Over time, eating a diet heavy in processed foods can lead to:

• Weight gain and insulin resistance
• Diabetes, Type 3 Diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease
• Fatigue and brain fog
• Digestive issues
• Mood swings and anxiety

The Worst Processed Foods

Besides added sugar and preservatives you can’t pronounce, many foods have added coloring and dyes.  The sole purpose of the dyes is to enhance or brighten the color to excite your brain and taste buds.  The problem is that these dyes have well-researched side effects and health risks. What is worse is that many of these foods are marketed to children who can easily become addicted to both the dyes and the visual appeal of the foods.  Additionally, these dyes can affect the still-developing brains of children. 

Artificial Dyes: A Closer Look

Artificial dyes are easily recognizable on food labels.  They contain the “#” symbol or use the abbreviation FD&C which stands for Federal Food Drug and Cosmetics. There are 7 approved food dyes that contain the “#” symbol: FD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red Nos. 3 and 40, FD&C Yellow Nos. 5 and 6, Orange B, Citrus Red No. 2.  

The FDA allows many additional chemicals, preservatives, and additives in our food supply.  Some of these ingredients are relatively new and have not been studied or proven safe for human consumption.  Consuming these ingredients is gambling with your long term health. 

January 2025 marked a monumental step in protecting the entire population, especially children, from the side effects of Red Dye No. 3. Surprisingly, this dye has been banned from topical drugs and cosmetics since 1990.  Yet it has remained in our food supply for decades.  In 2020, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and 23 other organizations and scientists submitted a petition to the FDA imploring the outlawing of Red Dye #3.  The use of this dye will be unregulated until January 16, 2027.  The dye will still be found in medications until January of 2028.  

Red dye No. 3 is also known as erythrosine and FD&C Red 3.  This dye is commonly found in ultra-processed foods. Below is a short list of  some foods that commonly contain Red Dye #3: 

• Seasonal candies such as Valentine’s hearts, candy corn, PEZ, Ringpop and Dubble Bubble gum
• Maraschino cherries
• Canned fruit cocktail
• Red icing such as Betty Crocker Red Decorating icing
• Strawberry flavored foods, ice cream, yogurt and popsicles
•  Here is a link to over 3000 foods containing Red Dye #3

Why has it taken the FDA so long to outlaw the use of a known carcinogen in our food supply?  This dye has been banned in American cosmetics and topical applications since 1999 and was banned in Europe in 1994.  Australia and New Zealand have also outlawed the dye. 

Red Dye #3 has been implicated in cancer, DNA damage, and inflammation while Red Dye 40 has been linked to ADHD in children.  

Preservatives: The Cost of Extending Shelf Life

Chemical dyes are not the only dangerous substance that the FDA allows in our foods.  Preservatives such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are added to foods to extend their shelf life. These chemicals have been identified as human carcinogens and hormone disrupters.  The risk of developmental and reproductive issues is high, particularly for children whose bodies and brains are still developing.  There have been no long-term studies proving that these chemical preservatives are safe for developing children.  As early as 1978, BHA has been suspected to damage liver function and has been listed as a known carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) since 1990.  

Additional Additives 

The FDA has many approved “food ingredients” that lack any safety studies, and many actually have studies proving they are unsafe for human consumption.  Many studies, including one in 2024 showed that eating foods with added carrageenan causes an increased risk for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases such as IBS and Crohns disease.

How to Shift From Processed to Whole Foods  (Without Overwhelm)

The FDA seems unable or unwilling to protect us and the food supply from questionable and even dangerous chemicals.  This is a very convincing reason to avoid processed and ultra-processed foods and choose whole foods as a lifestyle.  

Don’t worry—I’m not asking you to go full homesteader overnight or give up all of your convenience foods. Start small. Here are a few easy swaps:

• Check your favorite cold cereal box for nutrition facts.  If 1 serving has more than 30 grams of carbohydrates or 8 grams of sugar, swap it out for steel-cut oats topped with fruit and nuts or paleo granola.  See the recipe for my favorite paleo granola below.
  
• Trade high-sugar granola bars for a boiled egg and a handful of berries, nuts, or nut butters.
  
• Replace soda with sparkling water infused with citrus or mint. My favorites are Zevia and Spindrift.
• Add a serving of vegetables to each meal and choose fresh or frozen veggies over canned ones with added ingredients or preservatives 

Small changes add up to big shifts over time. Every bite is a vote for your health. 

Recipe for my favorite Paleo Granola

• 1 cup cashews (or an extra cup of almonds)
• 3⁄4 cup  almonds
• 1⁄2 cup sunflower seeds--shelled
• 1⁄2 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)-shelled
• 1⁄2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1⁄2 hemp seeds
• 1⁄4 cup coconut oil
• 1⁄4 cup raw honey or coconut nectar
• 1⁄2 tsp vanilla powder
• 1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
• 1 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place all nuts (no hemp seeds) and coconut into blender or food processor.
3. Pulse until all nuts look about the same size.
4. Melt the coconut oil, vanilla powder, coconut nectar, and salt in pan.
5. Pour nuts into a large bowl and then pour coconut oil mixture over the top. Sprinkle hemp seeds and cranberries into mixture.
6. Mix until evenly coated. Spread out on baking pan.
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until evenly brown. I usually stir the granola one time during cooking.

I sometimes get adventurous and add cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, ground dried orange peel, or 1 tbsp curry powder or molasses to the mix.

Recipe for my favorite Oat-Free Hot Cereal

• 3-4 tsp organic butter or coconut oil
• 1⁄2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut; Let's, Do Organic brand is what I use
• 2 cups Coconut milk or raw cream. You can use other "milks" but you won't get as much healthy fat to keep you feeling full
• Sweetener to taste optional 1/8 Julian's Bakery Lo Haun is perfect. 
• Dash of salt
• 1⁄3 cup crushed pecan pieces
• 1⁄3 cup crushed macadamia nut pieces or pine nuts
• 1⁄3 cup chia or flax seeds

1. Toast coconut flakes in a medium pot over medium-high, heat until golden, being careful not to burn.
2. Stir in the almond milk (or coconut milk) and water.
3. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil.
4. After the boiling point is reached, remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients.

Your Body Deserves the Best 

Whole foods are not going out of style and will never be replaced.  No matter how many fake concoctions, like the Impossible Burger, that people create, real food will always win.  Manufactured foods will always take a toll on your health and waistline.  We all live in an increasingly complex world, so keep things simple, and eat real food without added ingredients. 

Simplify your grocery shopping by skipping foods that have labels and ingredients that you aren’t familiar with and can’t pronounce.  

If you’re not sure where to start, or need a reset, I’m here to help. We’re in this together—one delicious, nutrient-packed bite at a time. Schedule a consult with me, Carly Neubert BA, NC.