"Mum, how do they make these Smarties blue?"

Its a simple and innocent question isn't it? We don't see 'blue' in the food spectrum very often. Perhaps a brilliant Plum, or a deeply indigo Blueberry, a purple headed Brocolli, or a purpley-blue Bean or Corn somewhere...even some heirloom varieties of Carrot and Tomato are bluish hued, but generally, its not an everyday kind of food colour. So how do they make blue Smarties, or anything like that in the 'candy family'??

Take a good look at these photos and really *think* to yourself...would you call this stuff 'food'?

Blue that we see in food colouring now is derived from coal tar or petroleum. It is an irritant (see the listing for Blue food colouring in Bill Statham's 'The Chemical Maze' for more info...its even available as an app now...jeesh!) and has been criticized for its ability to produce asthmatic reactions, hyperactivity and the so-called ADD symptoms. So why is it in our food? Its because the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ok'd it for use in our foods, and so Australia takes its lead from the FDA and therefore we also have this in our food consumables. Not all countries in the world are so irresponsible towards their citizens though. Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, Spain, Greece and Italy, plus Germany and France have all banned the use of this in foods sold in their countries. Smart hey...

When the same kind of blues can be produced using Spirulina (a blue-green algae which also has wonderful mineral and protien content) it makes you wonder why any government would risk the health of their population by allowing a poison into the food supply. Or does it? A population that is unwell is more easily controlled via a medical system that will also drug and stupify with resultant side effects that will just 'keep 'em coming back for more'. A vicious circle it is. Many of the pharmaceutical drugs prescribed for reactions are often laced with the same kinds of food colourants in the capsules or tablet coatings!

And its not only in food that we have to look out for this particular colourant. It is used in personal hygiene products like hair dye, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, mouthwash, perfume, bodysprays, medical gels, handwash, bodywash, bubblebath and even in baby care products too...then there is the blue in detergents of all kinds. Blue is seen to be 'fresh and clean' so marketers regularly use it to make consumers *think* that their product is hygienic and 'fresh'. The reality is that anyone using a blue coloured product is slathering a petroleum based product over themselves or their food utensils, etc....

When I read that these synthetic food dyes have been found to be carcinogenic to animals (human's aren't trialled and therefore that 'research data' is not available, however, last time I checked a Human was a mammal...a type of animal) I was easily able to make the choice not to consume foods that I knew were affected by these additives, and that I did not want my children ingesting them either! While the mainstream information channels will be regurgitating the usual 'don't worry, its all been tested' spiel, the reality is that most of these many synthetic dyes have not been tested in trials on humans, and certainly not on children, so the data about reactions, hospitalisations and deaths are only collected from the many people affected, or dealing with the side-effects, of ingesting these toxic chemicals. Be aware of what you eat and not afraid.

*this* is the kind of thing I'm talkin' about ... fresh food, vibrant colours, all natural and all good!

There's plenty of choices out there for Real Food and safe products you can use for your body and your house that work, without the negative side-effects of synthetic chemicals.

To find pure, safe and ethical products for personal care use please visit my Miessence store. There's even a few products for nutrition too that can help you kick start and maintain the detoxifying of your body from toxic chemical burden.

Blessings for naturally fantastic great health!
Jannette
:)