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As many of you know, I am not a fan of artificial colorings in our food. Earlier this year I wrote a four-part series on these petroleum-based dyes and their effects on our health.But these colorants are not just in processed food. The next time you are in a drug store or the drug aisle of a supermarket, notice the rainbow of colored over-the-counter pills, tablets and liquids. And I’ll bet that the next prescription the pharmacist fills for you is blue, yellow or green.
These dyes have been linked to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Are we being visually tricked into ingesting harmful toxins? What’s wrong with white?
Thankfully, in some instances, better options exist.
Let’s discuss ibuprofen, a staple of all medicine cabinets. Leading national brands include Motrin and Advil. Basic Motrin is orange, thanks in part to its yellow #6. Flavored versions aimed at children are colored with red, blue and yellow dyes.
A slightly better option is Advil’s basic tablets or caplets. Their color is rust, achieved from synthetic iron oxide (not a dye). However, be aware that the myriad of other Advil products (i.e. Advil PM, Advil PM for Saturdays, Advil PM for Tuesdays in November, Advil Migraine if Your Last Name Starts With “E”) contain artificial colorants.
By far the best option I found was a store brand. The drug store chain CVS sells ibuprofen that is white and clearly labeled “dye-free.” I am not aware of a national brand that offers white ibuprofen.
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5 comments:
Thank you VERY much for this information. I have been searching for dye-free ibuprofen...
Walgreens has their own brand of the dye-free white ones, too. I find them more expensive because they are in smaller bottles (smaller quantities) so I can't get the discount of buying larger bottles.
My son and I have an intolerance to these artificial color. I can tell you for a fact that they effect us. I myself was punching walls and would "fly" off the handle over the smallest things. My son was having huge melt downs and flipping desks, throwing chairs, and biting himself. They said he had ADHD. I got him off all the artificial colors and he is now getting out of special education in school! I have to watch everything I put in our bodies, but also on! I have to buy him special crayons! I watch laundry soap and fabric softner, tooth paste, perfume, and lotions. They are putting them in everything! Buy organic, the more people that do the more big business will listen to what is trending and the stores will carry it.
Jennifer,
Thanks for sharing your experiences; your comment was the focus of my post today: http://thedelicioustruth.blogspot.com/2011/10/one-moms-experiences-with-artificial.html
Walgreens also sells the color free dye free ibuprofen int the store (CVS here did not carry it in the store)
I looked online and it is just listed under ibuprofen 200 mg tab. The title did not include it and I did not find it in the search. CVS was sold out online, so this is another resource. You just have to look harder. (?)
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