California has just passed a Bill, banning Red Dye 3, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, and propylparaben. If you look at the ingredients of the foods you eat daily chances are you will find these chemicals on the list. People see these ingredients in the list and never know what they are or how they affect our bodies and minds.
Red Dye 3 is the most common one that everybody knows, it’s an artificial dye made from petroleum that gives foods and drinks a bright red cherry color. Red Dye 3 has been connected to behavioral issues and hyperactivity in children. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment researched that kids who consume artificial food dyes like Red Dye 3, can become more hyper and have difficulty focusing. Red Dye 3 is also known to cause cancer in lab animals. Some foods that consist of Red Dye 3 are Peeps, Hostess Ding Dongs, Fruit by the Foot, Dubble Bubble chewing gum, dole fruit packs, and Pediasure Grow and Gain Kids’ Ready-to-go-Drink strawberry shake. 
Brominated vegetable oil is vegetable oil modified with bromine. It stabilizes fruit flavoring in beverages to keep textures from floating to the top. It can negatively impact our health because of one of its ingredients, bromine. Bromine can irritate skin and mucous which is the moist lining of the mouth, nose, stomach, and lungs. New data has also suggested that brominated vegetable oil can cause organs and tissues to accumulate bromide at potentially harmful levels. You can find brominated vegetable oil in many citrus fountain drinks.
Potassium bromate is used to improve the textures of flour in many of your baked goods. It can irritate the lungs and too much exposure to this chemical may cause shortness of breath and bronchitis with a cough and phlegm. It may also affect the nervous system causing headaches, irritability, impaired thinking, and personality changes. You can find potassium bromate in some bagels, donuts, English muffins, pizza dough, crusts, and bread.
Propylparaben is a benzoate compound of p-hydroxybenzoic acid. It is used to preserve foods you find on the shelves in stores. If exposed to too much propylparaben, you could be at risk of cancer. Parabens can activate the hormone estrogen. High levels of estrogen have been found in breast cancer tumors. it has also been linked to hormone disruption and harm to the reproductive system and maybe even more harmful to children. It has been documented to cause male and female reproductive harm. You can find propylparaben in some foods such as Amport Foods Chocolate & Nute Trail Mix, Archer Farms Gourmet Dessert Cookies, Arizona Snack Company Sweet Energy Trail, and Cafe Valley Blueberry Mini Muffins.
California will implement this act on January 1st, 2027. All your favorite snacks, candies, and drinks will still be available but the ingredients will be switched to a healthier alternative. Look at your ingredients to improve your physical and mental health.
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