dye naturally

so i found an article online about dyeing easter eggs naturally

without icky chemicals

& gross artificial colors ~ by using vegetables & spices

{& of course i had to try it!} 

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 i do make a concentrated effort to stay away from all foodstuffs with food coloring

 

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here’s why…

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blue no. 1 uses coal tar as one of its components…

many organizations are speaking out & boycotting products

using colors with coal tar because it is a carcinogenic in large quantities

& known to cause tumors in lab rats

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red no. 40 can be found in sweets, drinks & condiments,

medications & cosmetics

it has caused allergic reactions in people

as well as hyperactivity in children

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yellow no. 5  or tartazine can be found in soft drinks, instant puddings,

flavored chips, cake mixes, soups, sauces, kool-aid, ice cream, 

candy, chewing gum, marzipan, jam, jelly, marmalade, mustard,

horseradish, yogurt, noodles, pickles & other pickled products

& many convenience foods together with glycerin, lemon and honey products

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tartrazine produces the most common allergic reactions,

especially among those with an aspirin intolerance & asthma

research has linked yellow no. 5 

to early childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder & hyperactivity

it is banned in austria and norway

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yellow no. 6 also known as  sunset yellow fcf

is an orange coal tar-based food dye

found in orange jelly, marzipan, apricot jam, fortune cookies,

chocolate mix & packet soups, breadcrumbs & cheese sauces & soft drink

it is the color most prominently seen in DayQuil

it’s capable of causing allergic reactions

such as abdominal pain, hyperactivity, hives, nasal congestion,

bronchoconstriction, as well as kidney tumours,

chromosomal damage & distaste for food

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interestingly ~ many of these dyes have been banned in countries around the world

because of their link to cancer, tumors, allergic reactions and hyperactivity in children

& yet they are still used in foods in the US!!!

{all sources found in various publications from FDA reports to The New York Times}

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so…although i miss the PAZ turquoise blue & hot pink colored eggs

this process is WAY better for you & your family

is much more fun {albeit pretty messy}

& the natural~earthy colors are much prettier too {in my opinion}

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i actually gathered ideas from many different blogs & websites

{there are tons! so do check out the link at the top & do some of your own research}

so the following is a basic overview of the first-time-ever attempt i made…

{please forgive the not-so-great photos ~ i couldn’t find my digital & in a pinch i used my nintendo dsi!}

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here’s a list i found for various color sources…

Pink – Use beets, cranberries, or raspberries
Red – Use red onion skins, or pomegranate juice
Orange – Use yellow onion skins, or paprika
Dark Orange - Use chili powder
Yellow – Use carrot tops, ground cumin or turmeric, orange or lemon peels
Green – Use spinach
Blue – Use red cabbage
Lavender – Use purple grape juice
Brown – Use coffee, tea, or black walnut shells

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and here’s what i did…*

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i used

a jar of pickled beets

one bag of fresh spinach

about 3 tablespoons of turmeric

& about three tablespoons of chili powder & paprika

put each in it’s own pot & put about two cups of water in each

boil for about 10-15 minutes & then cover & simmer for 10-15 more

let cool & add 2-3 tablespoons of white vinegar in each pot

i then poured the colors into jars & then put in an egg or two & covered

leave in fridge for several hours or leave overnight

viola!

{naturally colorful easter eggs}

{i think i’m digging the way the nintendo dsi take a photo!}

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