Red 40 on a snack label: what it is, and what to buy instead
Red 40 hides under several names and shows up in fruit snacks, cereals, yogurts and sports drinks. Snap the words on the package and know before it goes in the cart.
- Snap the words on the package.
- Tasha explains them in plain language.
- Your family score is 0–100 after your avoid-list is saved.
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Label example
Fruit-flavored gummy snack (example label)
INGREDIENTS: Corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, gelatin, citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, sodium citrate, carnauba wax, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1.
Avoid-list saved: Artificial dyes · Family score: 18/100
- Red 40 (avoid) — Tasha: A synthetic dye made from petroleum. In the EU, foods with it must carry a warning about effects on children’s activity and attention.
- Yellow 5 (avoid) — Tasha: Another synthetic dye (tartrazine). Some kids are sensitive to it.
- Blue 1 (caution) — Tasha: Synthetic dye used for color only — it adds nothing to nutrition.
- Corn syrup, sugar (caution) — Tasha: The first two ingredients are sugars, so sugar is the main thing in this snack.
- Citric acid (ok) — Tasha: Adds tartness. Generally fine for most families.
Example label for illustration. Always check the package in your hand; Remake is not medical advice.
Other names for Red 40
Allura Red AC, FD&C Red No. 40, Red 40 Lake, and E129 on imported packages. Tasha catches all of them, so you don’t need to memorize the list.
Where it usually hides
Fruit snacks, colorful cereals, flavored yogurts, frosting, candy, sports drinks, chips with red seasoning, and some “strawberry” flavored milks.
What to do in the aisle
Snap the label. If Red 40 is on your avoid-list, the family score drops and Tasha suggests a swap that’s colored with beet, paprika or fruit juice instead.
Snaps per plan
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