Homemade Food Coloring.

Learn how to Make your own Healthy Food Coloring which are Corn, Gluten and Toxin Free

Once you make homemade food coloring you can use if for any of your cooking needs; or you might want to use it for crafts such as painting, dying fabrics or making children's play dough.

Today it is almost impossible to find food coloring that does not contain harmful chemicals. A large majority of these processed coloring agents are the end result of formulas that are made with dyes, corn, gluten or other ingredients that could cause allergic reactions or produce other unwanted side effects. This is one of the main reasons that people are eager to discover alternatives that will really work.When you use these natural recipes to create botanically based food coloring mixtures you will have the satisfaction of knowing they are eco-friendly, pleasant smelling and safe to use. In some instances you may have to learn how to adjust the amount of these coloring formulas to obtain the exact shades that you want.

The use of plants and herbs to create natural dyes has been around for many centuries. Many spices, fruits, berries and plants are known to contain staining agents that can be safely used to make a number of products. Here are some ideas to get you started on the path for making homemade food coloring.



Mellow Yellow

• Boil 2 cups of water in a pot on your stove. When a full boil is reached you can take the pot from the burner and let the water cool for about 30-60 seconds.
• Now add a small amount of turmeric to the water. Once you have obtained the shade of yellow you want you can quit adding this herbal coloring agent. If you will use stale, outdated turmeric instead of a fresher version you can get the natural color without the strong herbal flavoring.
• After the colored water has cooled it can be stored in a glass container with a tight fitting lid.

• Add 2 cups of spinach leaves to a pot and add enough cold water to cover the leaves.
• Boil for 60 seconds.
• Allow pot to simmer on the lowest heat setting of your stove for an additional 10 minutes.
• Let the water cool and then strain it through cheesecloth or a wire mesh strainer.
• You can safely store the green food color in any glass container that has a tight fitting lid.

• Add a few beets to a pan. Add enough water to cover the beets. You do not have to wash or peel the beets before using them for this recipe.
• Now simmer the beets for about 45 minutes, or until they are tender enough that you can pierce the beets with a fork.
• Allow the pan to cool. Remove the beets and use a paring knife to peel them. Slice or chop the beets and then add these vegetables back to the pan containing the boiled water.
• Let the pan sit undisturbed for several hours so the water can absorb the deep, ruby coloring from the beets.

Pour the liquid through a piece of clean cheesecloth or a fine, mesh strainer. You should have about 1-1/2 cups of water. Combine the colored water with 2 ¼ teaspoons of a natural white vinegar. Add this mixture to a glass container with a tight fitting lid. Shake well, label the container and store until needed.



Berry Blue Food Color

• Add 1-2 cups of water and 1 cup of blueberries to a pot. Fresh or frozen berries can be used.
• Allow the berries to simmer on the stove for 20-40 minutes.
• After the liquid has cooled for about 15 minutes you can pour it into a blender and pulverize the mixture for 1 minute.
• Once this process is completed use cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer to separate the berry particles from the liquid.
• Once straining has been completed this natural blue food coloring liquid can be safely kept in a glass container. Always make sure the lid to the container is one that forms a tight seal.

• Do not store any of your liquids in plastic containers because the containers will become stained, and chemicals from the plastic will be leached into the food color.
• Don't be afraid to experiment with different herbs and plants to come up with other colors.
• The shades of these natural food colors can be intensified or lightened depending on how much of the main ingredients you decide to use.

Brown:coca or coffee powder

Green:kale, parsley, spinach, romaine, cucumber, bell pepper, watercress....Boiled green veggies, using the water/juice will give you a much lighter green color

Pink or Red (depending how much of the fruits of vegetables you use):beets, berries, cranberries, tomatoes, rhubarb, strawberries, pomegranate, - mostly you use the juice of it – however, sometimes it makes sense you use the whole fruit (for cakes, etc)

Purple and Blue(depending how much of the fruits of vegetables you use):cabbage (can be juiced or boiled), blueberries, skin of the eggplant, blackberried, grapes (black or purple ones)

Yellow/Orange:curry and/or turmeric powder, or yellow beets, carrots,







Food Coloring – The Sweet Hidden Danger!

The following colors are used in food.

• Blue 1 or also known under the name Brilliant Blue – you can find it in snacks, sauces, candies and soft drinks. It can cause Cancer, ADHD, Rhinitis and Asthma
• Green 3 or Fast Green is found in sauces, icings, baked goods, gelatins and also in vegetables. It has been linked to bladder cancer and Allergies.
• Orange B found in sausages and Hot dogs. Can be the cause of Allergies, ADHD and also Kidney Damage..
• Red 3 or Erythrosine found in popsicles, candies and baked goods. Has been connected with Chromosomal damage and Thyroid Tumors.
• Red 40 or Allura Red AC. Used in common snack foods such as Goldfish. Can additional be found in sauces, candies and soft drinks. This color has been connected with ADHD, Cancer, Asthma, Rhinitis
• Yellow 5 or Tartrazine – found in candies, jams, cake mixes, cereals, snacks, instant noodles. It has been connected with ADHD, blurred Vision, Anxiety, Migraines and Asthmatic Attacks. (You should think twice, when you buy your kids favorite breakfast cereal which contains this dye.)
• Yellow 6 or Sunset Yellow - found in sausages, gelatins and baked goods – this dye can be the cause of Adrenal Gland and Kidney Tumors.

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