Some natural food colorings, which have gained attention as alternatives to artificial dyes, may be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cancer, a new study has found.
According to a recent report by The Wall Street Journal, French researchers identified links between certain natural color additives and disease risk through a large-scale observational study analyzing dietary data from more than 100,000 people. The participants were tracked for up to eight years.
The study is drawing attention amid the spread of the "MAHA" (Make America Healthy Again) movement in the United States. As efforts to reduce artificial additives have grown under the leadership of U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the food industry has accelerated its shift from synthetic dyes to natural colorings.
However, the researchers pointed out that natural colorings may not be free from potential health risks either.
According to the findings, the group that consumed high amounts of beta-carotene-based colorings, extracted from sources such as carrots, had a 44% higher risk of type 2 diabetes than the group with low intake. Beta-carotene is used as a coloring agent in various processed foods, including cheese, yogurt, cakes and beverages.
Curcumin, a coloring extracted from turmeric, was associated with a 49% increased risk of type 2 diabetes, while anthocyanins — colorings derived from fruits and vegetables — were linked to a 40% higher risk.
A connection to cancer was also raised. A separate study published in the European Journal of Epidemiology found that the intake of both natural and synthetic food coloring additives was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. The researchers analyzed that food coloring consumption was linked to a 21% higher risk of breast cancer.
In particular, beta-carotene was found to be associated with a 41% increase in breast cancer risk. Caramel coloring, widely used in confectionery and ice cream, was reported to be linked to a 15% increase in overall cancer risk.
"Just because a food additive is natural does not automatically mean it is safe," said Dr. Mathilde Touvier of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, who led the study. "When it is separated and refined from its original food and turned into an additive, it may act differently in the body."
However, the researchers said the findings, based on an observational study, cannot definitively conclude that natural food colorings directly cause disease. They added that various variables, including diet and lifestyle, were also adjusted for during the research.
"The key is to reduce consumption of ultra-processed foods," Touvier stressed. "Most food colorings are merely additives for visual effect and are not essential nutrients."
