St. Patrick’s Day is one of those holidays that we tend to celebrate most via food coloring.
Americans squeeze a few green drops into everything possible this time of year — donuts, cupcakes, milkshakes, ketchup, and, of course, beer. You’re bound to wind up consuming some level of FD & C Green No. 3 in the name of “celebration” this month.
There isn’t a lot of evidence proving that dyes are bad for us, but some experts think they could possibly worsen hyperactivity in children, and they might be bad for digestion.
The Huffington Post reported, “The worst that could happen is probably some gastrointestinal discomfort, according to Dr. Braden Kuo, an assistant physician at Harvard Medical School and at the GI Unit of Massachusetts General Hospital. Artificial food dyes and additives are often not meant to be absorbed by the body, he explains, and instead may weigh heavily on the bowel, which, in turn, can suck water into the bowels, resulting in diarrhea.”
I’m not willing to try my Irish luck with that one.
As most things in food go, moderation is probably key. So stick with this yummy list of naturally green foods below, then go ahead and splurge where it really counts — the green beer. Cheers!
BASIL PESTO HUMMUS
Healthy Baked Broccoli Tots
SPIRAL VEGETABLE TART
emerald kale salad
BAKED SEAFOOD STUFFED AVOCADOS
CUCUMBER, LIME AND MINT POPSICLES
Mint Limeade Fizz
Oven Fried Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
THE GREEN THUMB SANDWICH
GREEN GODDESS PIZZA
TROPICAL GREEN SMOOTHIE BOWL
MATCHA ALMOND SANDWICH COOKIES
Sushi Roll w/ Spicy Kale + Green Veggies
ARROZ VERDE (GREEN RICE)
green goddess quinoa summer salad
KEY LIME PIE
PHILLY CHEESESTEAK STUFFED PEPPERS
