by I went to the university in New York City, and when I had a particularly tough day, my pick-up of your choice was a cupcake of the famous Magnolia Bakery. (Could explain how I baked professionally for several years.) But I didn’t just want a cupcake; It had to be one with vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream, in particular the light green vanilla -buttercream. There was something about the mint -like hue of the glaze that made it all the more attractive for me, although if I covered my eyes and take a snack from a pink, I could not have seen the difference.
Now I still enjoy a colorful treat – we finally eat with our eyes. But I started to move from artificial colorants for artificial food in favor of natural colorings, especially when it comes to the baked products that I make myself. Why? To begin with, I appreciate a challenge and working with natural colors can be a bit tricky (more about that about that). But I also started thinking about what I put in my body, and because food dyes are made of petroleum-derived chemicals-no taste or help in conservation, I prefer to avoid them if possible.
Pop-tarts, but make them natural. A dash of fruit juice gives the glaze a bright glow and powdered freeze -dried fruit provides a nice sprinkling -like topper. (Britt Ross/Yahoo)
(Britt Ross/Yahoo)
The true colors of artificial dyes
You have probably encountered countless headlines with regard to artificial food paints, because they are currently a general reported topic. Does this mean that there is a real reason for concern? Do you have to resist the temptation of Skittles forever?
Not necessary. As is the case with many factors that relate to our health, the simply scanning things can be a good start. “Artificial dyes are a hot topic, and although they are generally considered safe for most people when they are consumed in moderation, some studies suggest that they power Daring issues for certain people, especially when they are consumed in excessive quantities, “says Lauren Manaker, a registered dietician and nutritionist.” Some people report hyperactivity or behavioral changes in children, especially with colors such as Red 40 or Yellow 5. “
A 2021 study conducted by the California Office or Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) involving seven synthetic food colors, supports this: “Proof of human studies indicates that synthetic colorants are associed with disadvantageous neuro -behavior in children,” It is important to emphasize that not all children had changes in behavior after taking dyes, and some of the studies recorded found no significant link between food paint and behavior in children.
Because we will probably not see any laws or forbidden getting into force for at least another year, it is on us to determine our exposure to these substances. So how much is too much? “It really depends on your personal preferences and how your body reacts,” says Manaker. “If you or your family notice sensitivities, minimizing artificial colors can be a good idea.” Ruwan Thilakaratne, research scientist at Oehha, adds: “Based on our 2021 report, it is recommended that children consumption of the synthetic food paint studied.”
In general, being aware of what we put in our body is never a bad thing – and that extends beyond dye in the diet. “The most important thing is to concentrate is your overall diet,” Manaker emphasizes. “It should contain a balance of products, nuts, beans, full grains, lean proteins and other nutrient-sealed food.”
With the help of natural alternatives to dyes
In my search to use natural colors in my bins, three media have proved the most successful:
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Vegetable liquid dyes: If I do not want to change glaze or cake batter color and taste, I will use a few drops of a colorful liquid color, where I am careful not to dilute the consistency too much. (Watery Buttercream is difficult to pipe!) Keep in mind that the colors are generally not as fat as, for example, an artificial gel food paint.
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Dried -out fruit/teaners: Colorful powders are great because you don’t have to worry about adding too much moisture. Many stores wear packages of freeze -dried fruit, such as strawberries, so I usually buy them and then grind them in powder in a food processor. That said, some of them have a highly concentrated taste, so you only want to use them if you are in order with an end product that tastes to which ingredient the powder is made. To prevent them from looking grainy in glaze, I like to add a little bit of hot water to the powder – just enough to solve it – which results in a more solid color.
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Fruit: Fresh fruit (and some vegetables, such as beets and cabbage) can be cooked into color bribes, glaze and glaze (you want to cook to remove part of the moisture), but it will also give a fruity taste. I love the daring shades that I can reach with fruit, because vegetable liquid food colorings are usually pastel-leuning.
Whatever route you take, it will be difficult, for example, to reach a clear fire -motor red, but the results will be beautiful.
My favorite products
Amazon
Nowadays, many supermarkets have vegetable dyes in the field of liquid food that you can use just as you would. These owe their color to ingredients such as vegetable juice, turmeric and spirulina extract, and from personal experience I can be responsible for adding minimal (if present).
$ 8 at Amazon
Amazon
If it is naturally colored food you want, this brand specializes in things. These vegan and gluten -free powder packages get their nice shades of ingredients such as vegetable juice and beta -carotene, and each can paint to two cups of glaze. Simply mix the powder with two teaspoons of water until it is dissolved, then absorb in your glaze, cookie dough or cake batter.
$ 10 at Amazon
Amazon
In my opinion, a real blue color is one of the most difficult to reach naturally – even blueberries become purple! But this powder, which is derived from the Butterfly PEA Plant, does the work beautifully. A long way goes a bit, so don’t let the price tag get rid of. I mix a little powder with warm water to create a pasta-like consistency and then mix it in vanilla glaze. Because I only use a small amount, it doesn’t really change the taste, which is a beautiful bonus.
$ 20 at Amazon
Amazon
Ok, I have strong opinions when it comes to Roerders, and this spoon-spatulahybride is my favorite tool. I especially think it is great for folding color in batters and glaze because it can get better in the corners of a bowl than a whisk, ensuring that everything is absorbed. Oh, and opting for a dark color is the key: some natural colorings, such as turmeric powder, stains easy, but it will not be really noticeable with a dark navy usage object.
$ 11 at Amazon
Amazon
The easiest way to give your treats some pizzazzz? Decorate them with sprinkles, and these are so lively, you would never know that they were naturally dyed. One comment about sprinkles, however: I have (unfortunately) still find a natural brand that does not fade in the oven, so if I receive a request for homemade Funfetti -Cake or Confetti cookies, I use artificially colored colored. To see? It’s all about balance!
$ 8 at Amazon
Amazon
Finally, if you want to bring your colorful matte creations to the next level, this collection Piping Tip is my go-t. Use it to add obstinacy to cakes, cupcakes, cookies – everything you want to cover in glaze, really. It comes with a reusable piping bag and a coupling, with which you can exchange different pipes on the same bag with glaze without emptying it. Have fun!
$ 15 at Amazon
I was able to get a nice pink color by adding cooked raspberries to my cake batter, and the yellow cake color was reached with boiled mangos. The blueberry jam in between helps the cake to pop, and I wrapped the whole thing in Pistache -Marsepein to jazz even more. (Britt Ross/Yahoo)
(Britt Ross/Yahoo)
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Our health content is only for informative purposes and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional about questions about your health.
