Is Yellow 5 Bad For You?
Also Known As: Tartrazine, FD&C Yellow 5, Acid Yellow 23, Food Yellow 4, E number E102
Short answer
With so many risks and few - if any - benefits, yellow 5 is best avoided. It has been linked to many serious health complications including an increased risk for cancer and worsened asthma in children.
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Despite being the (mostly) innocent victim of a vicious rumor, Yellow 5 still provides no health benefits and may be harmful to some people's health. In the 1990s, there was a widespread rumor that drinking too much Mountain Dew would cause penis size to shrink and sperm count to lower. This happened due to the dye used to give the drink its yellowish color - tartrazine, better known as Yellow 5. While research has clearly shown the relation to penis size is a pure fallacy, some studies do indicate that there may be a link between Yellow 5 and a slight decrease in sperm count.
The real problem with Yellow 5 has to do with children. Multiple studies have shown that children who are asthmatic or prone to hyperactivity are negatively affected by products containing Yellow 5. One study from 2006 also showed that Yellow 5 added to psychotropic medication had an adverse affect on some of the test subjects. In rare cases, Yellow 5 has been linked to fatigue, migraines, blurred vision, and anxiety. It is also possible that Yellow 5 causes chromosomal damage, but more studies need to be done before anything conclusive can be said.
Also, like other food dyes, Yellow 5 has been found to have carcinogenic chemicals. While Yellow 5 will most likely not be a problem for the vast majority of people, the risks are real. Norway and Austria have banned the substance outright. They have been phased out of many products in the UK and the EU requires a warning be attached to the label of any product containing Yellow 5. However, the US requires no such warning and indeed Yellow 5 may not even show up except as "dye" on the ingredient label. With no benefits to balance the risks, it'd be best to try avoiding Yellow 5 as much as possible.
Possible short-term side effects
- worsened asthma in children
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hyperactivity in children
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fatigue
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migraines
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blurred vision
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anxiety
Possible long-term side effects
- cancer
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lowered sperm count
Commonly found in
- soft drinks (such as mountain dew)
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juices
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chips and crackers
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puddings and sweets
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prepared pasta / burger mixes
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cheese-flavored snacks
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Written by Jeff Volling
Published on: 01-02-2016
Last updated: 12-10-2016
Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Jeff Volling
Published on: 01-02-2016
Last updated: 12-10-2016
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