US ice cream makers say they'll stop using artificial dyes by 2028
The move is the latest voluntary effort by food manufacturers to heed calls from the Trump administration to remove synthetic dyes over concerns about potential health effects. In recent weeks, companies including Nestle, Kraft Heinz and General Mills said they would pull artificial colors from their foods, too.
'This is a Renaissance moment for health in America," U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary said at a news conference.
About 40 makers of ice cream and frozen dairy desserts said they would remove seven petroleum-based dyes from their products by 2028, according to Michael Dykes, president of the International Dairy Foods Association. The colors are Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. The trade group wouldn't identify the firms, although Turkey Hill Dairy chief executive Andy Jacobs joined the gathering.
The national focus on artificial food dyes is 'a good step to take," but officials should not ignore larger known contributors to chronic disease, including the added sugars and saturated fat commonly found in ice cream, said Deanna Hoelscher, a University of Texas nutrition expert.
'Just taking out or changing the food dye source is not necessarily going to make it a healthy option,' she said. 'It still is a food that should be consumed in moderation.'
However, Makary also hinted that new federal dietary guidelines, expected later this year, would challenge established links between saturated fat and heart disease, ending what he called 'a 70-year demonization of natural saturated fat.'
The average American eats about 4 gallons of ice cream a year, the IDFA said.
Health advocates have long called for the removal of artificial dyes from foods, citing mixed studies showing that they may cause some neurobehavioral problems, such as hyperactivity and attention problems, in some children. The Food and Drug Administration has maintained that approved dyes are safe and that 'most children have no adverse effects' when consuming foods made with them.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized the dyes and pressured manufacturers to remove them from foods. In their place, manufacturers should use dyes made from fruit juices, plant extracts and other sources, federal officials said.
The FDA has approved new natural color additives in recent months, including a new blue color made from the fruit of the gardenia announced Monday. Gardenia (genipin) blue is approved for use in sports drinks, candies and certain other products, the agency said.
Makary also sent a letter to food manufacturers on Monday that 'encourages' them to speed up removal of the dye known as Red 3, which was banned in January. Food makers have until 2027 to remove the dye, which was found to cause cancer in laboratory rats, but not humans.
Some food companies have said they will stop using artificial dyes, but relying on voluntary action rather than regulatory requirements won't guarantee compliance, said Thomas Galligan, a scientist with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group.
'Talk is cheap,' Galligan said. 'It's easy for companies to make promises to look like they're being compliant and generate goodwill among consumers and the Trump administration, but it remains to be seen if they will actually follow through.'
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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Telegraph
34 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Eight everyday foods that lower your risk of a heart attack (and one of them is chocolate)
Statistically speaking, you're more likely to die of heart disease than you are from anything else (assuming that you're reading this as a resident of Britain or the US). It more commonly afflicts men than women, and you're at higher risk if you're overweight, physically inactive, a smoker or a regular drinker. But heart disease can strike any of us – and it's the leading cause of heart attacks. One of the best things you can do to avoid heart disease and limit your likelihood of suffering a heart attack is to eat well, with your heart in mind. Fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and a low amount of sugar are key to a heart-healthy diet, as they are to a healthy diet in general, but new research suggests that some foods hold special importance in the prevention of heart attacks. This is thanks to a chemical called flavan-3-ols, a plant chemical that occurs naturally in some fruits such as apples and grapes and, in what is perhaps more welcome news, the plants that also produce tea and chocolate. Flavan-3-ols are 'a kind of polyphenol, which are bioactive compounds that occur naturally in plant foods and have been shown in some studies to be linked to better heart and circulatory health', says Dell Stanford, a senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation. A recent study, from the University of Surrey, found that a diet high in flavan-3-ols can lead to reduced blood pressure, particularly in people who have high blood pressure and so are at greater risk of a heart attack. What's more, the flavan-3-ols were also found to improve the health of the inner lining of participants' blood vessels, which is crucial to overall heart and cardiovascular health. This research looked at the health impacts of eating apples, grapes and chocolate and drinking tea, in particular. Another piece of recent research, from Harvard University in the US, found that another plant compound known as phytosterol could also be responsible for reducing the risk of both heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Phytosterol has a chemical structure similar to cholesterol and is found in large amounts in nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. A full 49 per cent of heart disease deaths are linked to poor diet. Eating grapes, apples and chocolate every day won't 'outdo the effects of a bad diet on your heart health', says Sam Rice, The Telegrap h's nutritionist, but incorporating them into good healthy meals might just save your life. Stanford agrees: 'The health benefits of eating a wide variety of plant-based foods are likely to be attributable to the interaction of bioactive compounds and nutrients in whole foods – they work together to help protect your heart.' Here are the best foods to add to your diet to lower your risk of a heart attack and how much of them to eat (or drink). Apples The old adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away is more than a neat rhyme. A small apple contains around 15mg of flavan-3-ols, as well as quercetin, another flavonoid known to reduce inflammation, protect against frailty and lower blood pressure. Apples 'also contain a good amount of fibre, which binds with cholesterol and basically takes it out of your bloodstream when you excrete it', says Rice. They also contain pectin, a prebiotic, which can boost your gut health; another factor that can reduce your risk of heart disease. There is a little bit of fructose, a natural sugar, 'but this is bound up with so many other healthy things that it won't give you the same negative effects of sugar on its own, like blood-sugar spikes'. One a day is fine, or more, says Rice. 'They're a very healthy little snack, so feel free to have more than one if you enjoy them,' she says. Just be sure to eat them skin-on and to have the core too if you can stomach it, as this is where most of the good stuff is stored. Grapes A bunch of grapes makes for a refreshing and moreish treat, especially in the summer months while they're in season. Their bright green or red colours – or the dense black of the kind of grape you might pair with a creamy cheese – indicate 'that the polyphenols and flavonoids that are good for your health are there', Rice says. Indeed, 'you should aim to eat the different-coloured fruits and vegetables', says Stanford, as each colour indicates the presence of different potentially health-boosting plant chemicals. An 80g portion, the size recommended by the NHS as one of your five a day, 'is a small bunch that fits into the palm of your hand', says Rice, and such a bunch would contain about 6mg of flavan-3-ols. They must be fresh, however. Raisins don't count where your heart health is concerned as 'drying out grapes makes them much smaller, so you'll probably consume a lot more of them, meaning that you're consuming much more sugar than you otherwise would', Rice says. Grapes are also much more hydrating. ' There's no need to be afraid of dried fruits – they are still full of polyphenols and fibre – but they're best eaten in moderation,' she adds. Oats Crucial to a heart-healthy diet is 'the interaction of the different nutrients that exist inside whole foods', says Rice, and a cornerstone of a whole-food-based diet is grains. The one you're probably most familiar with is the humble oat, which, in a porridge or overnight oats, will provide us with heaps of beta-glucan. This is a sort of soluble fibre that 'is important for lowering bad cholesterol', says Rice – our 'bad' LDL cholesterol levels being a key risk factor for heart disease. Oats also contain magnesium and potassium, Rice points out, both of which 'are key minerals that we need for good blood-pressure control'. While oats are high in calories compared with fruit and vegetables, the fibre they contain 'will help to keep you fuller for longer, which can help you to manage your weight', with obesity being another heart disease risk factor. Whether you prefer porridge or overnight oats, 'both are equally healthy for your heart, bearing in mind the sugar content in any ready-made options you might buy', says Rice. Gentle cooking 'won't destroy the beta-glucan in your oats', but perhaps avoid stewing your porridge for hours on the stove or blending the oats, as this can break down the fibre. Olive oil 'A heart-healthy diet is essentially a Mediterranean-style diet, ' says Stanford. 'There's limited evidence for the benefit of any specific food, but we know that the key ingredients of a Mediterranean diet in combination – lots of fruit and vegetables, pulses, nuts and seeds, oily fish with moderate amounts of lean meat, dairy foods and unsaturated fats – are good for your heart.' The cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet is, of course, olive oil. 'Too much saturated fat from foods such as butter, ghee, lard and cheese can increase your cholesterol, so switching to unsaturated fats like olive oil or rapeseed oil, often known as vegetable oil, can help bring your cholesterol levels down and lower your risk of heart disease,' Stanford explains. Olive oil in particular contains oleic acid, which is 'particularly good at helping to improve your blood lipid [fat] profile', Rice adds. Using it to fry your eggs, vegetables or meat is safe, 'contrary to what many people think', says Rice, but 'doing this will reduce the polyphenol content'. For this reason, it may be better added to salads or pasta dishes at the end of cooking. One to two tablespoons per day is a good amount for the health of your heart, within a healthy diet, Rice advises. Almonds When it comes to your heart health, aim to eat unsalted nuts and seeds most days, says Stanford (provided you aren't allergic). They are high in fat, but largely the healthier unsaturated kind, 'and they are also high in fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals that are important to your overall health', Stanford says. The best thing for your health is to get a range of nuts in your diet, Stanford reiterates, but if you're going to pick one type to try to incorporate, you might be wise to make it almonds. Aside from containing a high concentration of flavan-3-ols, almonds contain so much fibre that your stomach has to work harder to break them down, meaning that you may not absorb all of the calories contained in every nut. Almonds also contain linoleic acid, another compound that can reduce bad cholesterol in the bloodstream, as well as vitamin E, an antioxidant that can protect your heart from damage. That said, whichever nut you choose, it's best to stick to 'a small handful, around 25 to 30 grams, otherwise you would be consuming a lot of calories', says Stanford. Still, that's more than enough to whip up into a homemade pesto with heart-healthy olive oil and plenty of fresh green herbs. Salmon Omega-3 is another nutrient that's famous for its heart-protective qualities. 'The omega-3 fats in oily fish have been shown to reduce the level of triglyceride fats in your blood, which lowers your risk of heart disease,' says Rice. This is one of many reasons why the NHS recommends that people eat at least one serving of oily fish every week. While vegetarians can still get a heart-healthy diet in the absence of fish, by eating plant-based sources of omega-3s like nuts and seeds, 'only the type of omega-3 found in oily fish has been linked to a reduction in the risk of heart disease', says Stanford. Of all the oily fish in the sea, mackerel contains the most omega-3 per gram, but it is also relatively high in mercury, which when consumed regularly can worsen heart health in the long run. Salmon may be a better option, as it is also very high in omega-3 but is considered a low-mercury fish. Tea Whether taken black or green, with milk or without, tea is excellent for the health of your heart. A number of wide-ranging studies have indicated that drinking tea daily may cut heart disease risk by up to 20 per cent. This is in part because tea is very high in those all-important flavan-3-ols. One cup of black tea contains around 280mg of flavan-3-ols – the amount found in more than a dozen apples. Green tea may be particularly good for your heart 'as it contains a compound called EGCG', a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to have specific links to reduced heart disease risk, Rice says. 'But all teas have benefits, as long as they are unsweetened and use the tea plant, rather than being herbal teas, which are a different thing,' says Rice. A few cups a day are fine, 'and it doesn't matter whether you're having them with or without milk', though Stanford adds that milk would come with the added benefit of calcium intake, which is also important for heart health. Dark chocolate It might not be a standard part of our five a day, but chocolate – the dark, bitter kind at least – is rich in polyphenols. Three squares of dark chocolate contains around 30mg of flavan-3-ols, around the same as is found in two small apples, with many other heart-friendly compounds to boot. To feel the benefits however, your chocolate must be 'at least 70 per cent cocoa solids, and really as high in cocoa solids as you can eat and still enjoy it', says Rice. 'Any less, and those benefits will probably be outweighed by the amount of sugar in the chocolate bar.' Even a very dark chocolate bar will be high in sugar however, Stanford points out, and 'the amount of polyphenols present in dark chocolate will depend on how the chocolate is processed'. About three squares of dark chocolate, once or twice a week, makes for a heart-healthy treat. 'But there are plenty of healthier sources of polyphenols such as berries, nuts and tea. Make sure your occasional chocolate treat is part of an overall healthy, balanced diet,' Stanford adds.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Ex-Chelsea player lucky to be alive after clot on heart
A former Premier League footballer said he is lucky to be alive after doctors spotted a clot on his heart during a routine scan. Dave Lee, who previously played for Bristol Rovers and Chelsea, said he did not experience any symptoms from the clot and without treatment, he could have died within said: "Another three weeks that would have risen and gone up to my brain and I wouldn't have been here anymore."The former defender has shared his story as part of BBC Radio Bristol's Wake Up Call health week, where presenter Joe Sims is asking people to talk about conditions that can go under the radar. In October 2024, he underwent a routine check-up after recovering from a stomach tumour five years Lee, who lives near Bath, said hours after the scan, doctors told him to pack a bag and prepare to stay in hospital for a week. He added: "What it was was a blood clot on my heart. It shocked me."The consultant was absolutely flabbergasted that I had no symptoms. I'm so lucky. If I hadn't had the tumour, I wouldn't have had the scan and I wouldn't have known."After undergoing triple bypass surgery, Mr Lee said he recovered within a month and started going for runs again."It was a really tough time but I'm glad I got through it," he Lee is raising awareness about the condition as part of Mr Sims' Wake Up Call healthcare week. The BBC presenter will host his show at Hartcliffe City Farm Friday morning, when he will speak to local people who can come along and agree to have their health checked.
Medical News Today
an hour ago
- Medical News Today
Slowing aging: Psilocybin helps extend life span in human cells by over 50%
Psilocybin is a chemical that is found in a wide variety of mushrooms known for their euphoric and hallucinogenic effects. Over the past few years, there have been a number of studies investigating the use of psilocybin for the treatment of mental health disorders and medical conditions. A new study says psilocybin may help delay aging by increasing the cellular life span of human skin and lung cells by more than 50%. Scientists also reported evidence psilocybin may help protect the body from age-related diseases through several health-protecting qualities, via a mouse is a chemical that is found in a wide variety of mushrooms. Also known as 'shrooms' and 'magic mushrooms,' psilocybin is known for its euphoric and hallucinogenic effects. Over the past few years, there have been a number of studies investigating the use of psilocybin for the treatment of mental health disorders such as treatment-resistant depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders, as well as medical conditions like migraine, Alzheimer's disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and Parkinson's disease. 'The overwhelming majority of what we know about psilocybin is from clinical outcomes (with >150 clinical trials ongoing or completed) and impacts on the brain,' Louise Hecker, PhD, associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine, told Medical News Today. 'Psilocybin is well known for its hallucinogenic properties. However, we know very little about what it does otherwise, particularly its impact systemically on the rest of the body.'Hecker is the senior author of a new study recently published in the journal npj Aging that has found indication that psilocybin may help delay aging by increasing the cellular lifespan of human skin and lung cells by more than 50%. Scientists also reported evidence psilocybin may help protect the body from age-related diseases, such as neurodegeneration, heart disease, and cancer through several health-protecting qualities, via a mouse helps extend life in cells by over 50%For this study, researchers first used a cellular aging model of human lung cells to see how psilocin — the active ingredient in mushrooms that causes hallucinogenic effects — would impact them. Scientists reported that psilocin helped to extend the cellular lifespan of human skin and lung cells by more than 50%.'The significance is that psilocin-treated cells do age, however they age at a slower rate, while maintaining the properties of 'young' cells longer,' Hecker, who was an associate professor at Emory University at the time of the study, said. When moving to a mouse model, Hecker and her team also discovered that mice at the equivalent of 60-65 human years given psilocybin lived longer than those who did not receive it. Additionally, these mice displayed healthier features, such as fewer white hairs and hair regrowth.'We designed this experiment with the clinical relevance in mind — wouldn't it be great if we could give an intervention to elderly adults that helps them to live healthier longer?,' Hecker explained. 'Our study suggests that this is possible.'Psilocybin helps maintain telomere length, helping with agingAccording to researchers, their findings suggest that psilocybin assists with slowing aging by reducing oxidative stress, improving DNA repair responses, and maintaining the length of telomeres. Telomeres are the 'end caps' of chromosomes. By helping to preserve telomere lengths, the researchers believe this may help protect the body from age-related diseases like heart disease, neurodegeneration, and cancer. 'Psilocybin appears to reduce the 'wear and tear' that accompanies aging. Although psilocybin is well-known for its psychedelic effects, our study suggests that psilocybin has potent impacts on the entire body. Psilocybin holds great potential for promoting healthy aging — this is just the starting point, as much more research is needed.'— Louise Hecker, PhD'We need to better understand its mechanisms of action, in particular how it works outside the brain to impact systemic aging and other processes,' Hecker said. 'More research is needed to optimize dosing/frequency protocols as well as monitor for the potential of adverse effects before it is ready to be used clinically as an anti-aging agent.'More studies needed to translate findings to humansMNT spoke with Jack Jacoub, MD, a board certified medical oncologist and medical director of MemorialCare Cancer Institute at Orange Coast and Saddleback Medical Centers in Orange County, CA, about this study. 'Cell aging is a key feature to overall health and illnesses and cancer,' Jacoub said. 'And so there's a lot of therapies now that are looking at things like senescence, which is normal cell aging, how to slow it down, and how to repair the damage that happens with aging. Sometimes issues related to cancer are due to the inability to repair damage, and it becomes a cancerous cell.' Jacoub commented that while this was a very interesting and notable observational study, it's a big leap right now to say these findings will translate to human illnesses, including cancer. 'It's too general right now to say anti-aging — that's an incredible umbrella. For it to really make an impact, and for you to see it available and recommended, it's going to need to be advanced further, obviously in humans, but then in particular areas to be able to say, yes, there really is merit to this, we should be recommending this to patients, etc.' — Jack Jacoub, MD'Like for example, could it help repair injury quickly?,' Jacoub continued. 'That would be (an) interesting thing to observe and study. And so let's say it's stroke patients, heart attack patients, whatever it might be — is there some role there to use it and accelerate healing from events like that? (And) a good one would be cellular repair. Can you recover and heal faster if you took this? That would be an example of it.'
