If you have been on a quest for both a healthy and non-toxic option in food colorings, then perhaps you already know there aren’t a lot of options out there. If you or your family has corn or gluten allergies, then you might be wondering if there are safe and allergen free options. Have you considered learning how to make your own safe food coloring?
If you have gluten based allergies or simply prefer to avoid additives and other potential toxins then you should know how to create natural food coloring. Then you will have coloring agents that you can safely use in your home and kitchen.
Once you make this type of food coloring you can use if for any of your cooking needs; or you might want to use it for crafts such as painting, dying fabrics or making children’s play dough.
Today it is almost impossible to find food coloring that does not contain harmful chemicals. A large majority of these processed coloring agents are the end result of formulas that are made with allergens and toxic ingredients that could cause allergic reactions or harmful for you. This is one of the main reasons that people are eager to discover alternatives that will really work.
When using natural recipes in order to create botanically based color mixes, you can have the pleasure of knowing that you have created a healthy and eco-friendly product that is safe to use – and smells good too. You may need to adjust formulas to get the right shade for your preferences, but this is easily done.
Using plants and herbs has been practiced for centuries in order to create dyes. There are multiple spices, berries and plants that you can find which contain effective staining agents that can be used to create your products. Here are a few ideas on how to start making your own safe food colorings.
Mellow Yellow
* First, boil 2 c water. After a full boil, remove the pan and let the water cool. * Add a dash of turmeric, adding more until you reach the desired shad of yellow.* Stale/Expired turmeric gives you a natural color without the herbal scent.* Store finished product in a glass jar with a lid.
Great Green Color from Spinach
Add 2 cups of spinach leaves to a pot and add enough cold water to cover the leaves. Boil for 60 seconds. Allow pot to simmer on the lowest heat setting of your stove for an additional 10 minutes. Let the water cool and then strain it through cheesecloth or a wire mesh strainer. You can safely store the green food color in any glass container that has a tight fitting lid.
The Royal Color of Ruby Red
Add a few beets to a pan and cover the beets with water. Simmer the beets for about 45 minutes, or until they are tender enough that you can pierce the beets with a fork. After the pan is cool, remove the beets and use a paring knife to peel, slice and chop them and add them back to the pan containing the boiled water. Let tthem sit undisturbed for several hours so the water can absorb the deep, ruby coloring from the beets. Pour the liquid through a piece of clean cheesecloth or a fine, mesh strainer. You will get about 1-1/2 cups of water. Optional – Combine the colored water with 2 teaspoons of a vinegar (careful many vinegars are made from corn). Add this mixture to a glass container with a tight fitting lid.
Berry Blue Food Color
*Use 1cup blueberreis to one-two parts water, simmering for 20-40 minutes. *Cool the concoction for another 14 minutes, then put in a blender and mix. *Strain through several layers of cheesecloth to remove pieces of blueberries. *Add to a glass jar and store.
Tips to Help You Create the Best Natural Food
Do not store any of your liquids in plastic containers because the containers will become stained, and chemicals from the plastic will be leached into the food color. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different herbs and plants to come up with other colors. The shades of these natural food colors can be intensified or lightened depending on how much of the main ingredients you decide to use.
Dr. Berger has a PhD in biology and is an expert in Corn and Gluten Food allergies. If you want to know more about Homemade Food Coloring than stop at her Website