What does carmine color look like

What Is Carmine? How Is It Made? Is It a Safe Food Dye? More Nutrition Dr. Axe on Facebook Dr. Axe on Twitter 13 Dr. Axe on Instagram Dr. Axe on Google Plus Dr. Axe on Youtube Dr. Read More. Axe on Twitter 5 Dr. Axe on Facebook 7 Dr. Axe on Twitter 1 Dr. Are there really foods that make you taller and foods that make Axe on Facebook 19 Dr.

Protein is incredibly important when it comes to your health. It makes View All. This is why the dye is sometimes called cochineal extract.

Sometimes the dye is mixed with a solution like borax for specific color effects. When this is mixed with water and other fluid substances, the resulting dye is incredibly bright red pigment. It also comes in various shades of red, making it useful for many different products. Sometimes other insects that are a related species in the genus Dactylopius are also used and they create almost indistinguishable results as the D.

Altogether they are referred to as cochineal insects. In the past, the U. Bugs can gross people out, which is why there was quite a stir when the public discovered what the dye was made from. You can read their concerns about these carcinogen containing dyes in their report Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks. When we realize how toxic these petroleum-based food dyes are, carmine begins to look a lot more appealing.

Though carmine is safer and a more sustainable food dye source, it is not vegan or vegetarian since it contains insects. For those who prefer to avoid eating animals, this is one dye to skip. You might also consider the risks associated with other toxic dyes, as well as the considerable damage that the petroleum industry is causing to our earth.

In addition, other mainstream dyes are tested on animals, which also goes against many vegan and vegetarian values. Your best bet for avoiding these dyes is to choose packaged foods that are dyed with natural, animal-free substances like turmeric, beta-carotene, and beet juice.

Or choose whole foods that avoid dyeing and packaging issues altogether. All of this discussion about food dyes leads us to worry about our food industry. But by better understanding these issues, you can make more informed choices as a consumer which can lead to personal health empowerment.

When deciding whether you should buy something, consider the color additives and always read the food label. You might not be bothered by the use of carmine in foods, or you might find it unappealing or unethical. You may even be fascinated by the prospect of wearing bug tinted blush. Whatever your decision. Make it with your eyes wide open! Knowledge is power and the more you know about anything the better decisions you can make for yourself, your family, and mother Earth.

At the very least, the topic of beetle juice in your cosmetics and yogurt is a great piece of trivia for anyone to get a conversation going! What do YOU think? Would you use a beautiful natural lipstick or lip gloss that used Carmine? Please comment below. References: 1. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. National Library of Medicine 26 Suppl 2 : 65— Please subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram so you can be updated as we write new blogs about dye-free cosmetics!

So just to be clear — you never use carmine in any of your products — even if the product is not totally vegan? Hi Helen, that is correct.

The only animal bi-product that we use is beeswax. I have super sensitive skin, and am celiac. As such I like to know what things are made from. My daughter also has very sensitive skin, so I will be sharing. Thank you. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible.

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