Natural Colorants

Many of the compounds in fruits and vegetables that possess antioxidant activity also give them their rainbow of colors, and certain ones are used as natural color extracts in food applications. Anthocyanins are polyphenolic compounds that are potent antioxidants and also exhibit colors in the natural red ranges, from oranges to purples. Carotenoids exhibit colors in the natural yellow ranges, from bright yellows to oranges. The curcuminoids are extracted from the Indian spice turmeric. They possess confirmed health benefits and are used for a natural lemon-yellow color. Chlorophyll (e.g., from spinach) also is used for both health benefits and for its natural green color. Although chlorophyll is used broadly elsewhere in the world as a green colorant, its use is limited in the United States. Food and beverage manufacturers can opt to use spinach powder.

annatto: a red waxy dye from plant seed, derivative of the achiote trees of tropical regions of the Americas, used to produce a red food coloring. Obtained from the oily arils of the seeds annatto is the world’s second most important natural colorant yielding yellow to red colors.

benefits: very stable pigment that lessens the oxidation of carotenoid pigment colors and off-flavors, extending color stability from 1 month to 9 months. The pulp surrounding the seeds is widely used in herbal medicine to treat burns, bleeding, dysentery, gonorrhea, constipation and fever. Extracts of leaves, bark and roots are reported to be antidotes for poisons.

beets: a flowering plant in the family Chenopodiaceae, native to the coasts of western and southern Europe, from southern Sweden and the British Isles south to the Mediterranean Sea. It is important because of its cultivated varieties, fodder beet, beetroot and the sugar-producing sugar beet. Beet extract is often used for a nice red color.

benefits: provides a good source of anthocyanadins, a natural antioxidant that contributes to its deep red color, a natural source of vitamins and minerals, used traditionally as a blood building food, also aids the natural process of elimination. Beetroot has liver, spleen, gall bladder and kidney cleansing properties. The iron contained in beets is in an organic form and non-irritating and will not cause constipation. Beets are useful in acidic situations due to it being rich in alkaline elements.

blueberries: found up and down the eastern seaboard from Canada as far south as Florida. Available from May to October. Blueberries have the highest antioxidant capacity because of their large anthocyanin concentration. Functions of anthocyanins in plants include acting as plant colorants, attracting animals for pollination and seed dispersal, and playing roles in light filtration and general metabolism.

benefits: the dye that is released from the blueberries' skin may well be the most valuable nutrient the fruit has to offer. Blueberries are rich in Vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene as well as rich in the minerals potassium, manganese, magnesium. Plus they are naturally free of fat, cholesterol and sodium.

caramel: a food which has a color from beige to dark brown and a sweet toasted flavor, derived from the caramelization of sugar. It is made by controlled heating of sugar, generally in the presence of acids or alkalis, a process called caramelization.

benefits: it is easy to come by and is used commercially in many other products and is produced under strictly controlled conditions.

carrot powder: carrots are freeze-dried and cryogenically ground into a fine powder and used as a coloring agent.

benefits: carrots contain many important nutrients� including alpha- and beta-carotene, B vitamins, vitamin C, plus calcium, iron, potassium, and many antioxidants, including lutein. The molecule of carrot juice is exactly analogous to that of the blood molecule.

german chamomile oil: The flowers are steam distilled to produce a clear to bluish green oil. An essential oil produced from a wonderful daisy like flower that smells sweet, resembling fresh golden apples. Chamomile can be swirled into your soap for a soft greenish-yellow distinction

benefits: calms the mind and eases fear, anxiety, anger, worries and tension during times of physical and emotional stress. Provides a nervine action, relieving pain associated with the nerves such as neuralgia, headaches, toothache, and earache. Chamomile is also used in treating skin problems, providing soothing calming and cleansing action -- useful for burns, blisters, inflamed wounds, ulcers, boils, dermatitis, eczema, rashes, wounds, and hypersensitive skin problems.

elderberries: is a tree that bears cream-colored flowers followed by dark purple berries in autumn, native to Europe. It has been used for its medicinal qualities and as a food colorant. Elderberry has a dark red liquid with a characteristic odor.

benefits: traditionally used for to relieve pain, inflammation, water retention, and congestion. Elderberry leaves are added to topical creams and sit baths to treat inflammatory disorders, such as arthritis, boils, and eczema. Elderberry may be effective in treating some diseases related to a depressed immune system, and preliminary studies have shown it may be effective against some viruses, including herpes and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

grape juice: a fruit juice obtained from crushing grapes. Grape extract is a dark red colored liquid with a fruity odor.

benefits: grape juice is a rich source of flavonoids and linked to a reduction in the oxidative stress associated with risk for heart disease and cancer.

paprike: a Hungarian, mild pepper. Extracted and refined from red paprika, the main composition are
Capsanthin and Capsaicin.

benefits: high in potassium

raspberries: a plant that produces a tart, sweet, red composite fruit in summer or early autumn. Raspberries contain an extremely dark pigment which allows them to be used as a colorant. Red cabbage color is obtained from aqueous extraction and purification.

benefits: raspberries have astonishingly high antioxidant levels. They are also among the highest foods in anthocyanins. Anthocyanins give foods like black raspberries their deep, dark color and have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and vasoprotective properties. Research has linked anthocyanins with improved vision, cardiovascular health, memory retention in old age and reduced risk of hypertension.

red cabbage: is a sort of cabbage, also known as Red Kraut or Blue Kraut after preparation. Its leaves are colored dark red/purple. Red cabbage imparted a red color similar to that of beet juice and less orange than that of other colorants.

benefits: it contains anthocyanins and other flavonoids. Thought to play an important role in the prevention of many forms of cancer.

saffron: a spice derived from the flower of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus), a species of crocus in the family Iridaceae. The flower has three stigmas, which are the distal ends of the plant's carpels. Together with its style, the stalk connecting the stigmas to the rest of the plant, these components are often dried and used in cooking as a seasoning and coloring agent. Contains a carotenoid dye, crocin, that gives food a rich golden-yellow hue.

benefits: saffron has been attributed with various kinds of healing effects. It has been used for the treatment of measles. In Indian traditional medicine, it used for treating bladder, kidney and liver disorders, and also diabetes.

spinach powder: Used to add color to soap.

benefits: spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is one of the most nutritious vegetables you can grow in your garden. It is an excellent source of iron, folic acid, and it is high in vitamins A and C. Spinach is most nutritious served raw, though it has become a staple in casseroles, quiches and souffles.

tomato powder: concentrated, dried tomato powder. The powder is produced from non-GMO, lycopene-rich tomatoes using a patented, solvent-free technique that results in the separation of tomato chromoplasts containing lycopene from the tomato fruit. The tomato pulp, rich with lycopene, is then spray-dried and processed into free-flowing granules that contain little sugar and are much less hygroscopic than tomato powder. The powder contains no additives and is labeled as "tomato fibers." One of the ingredient's more distinctive benefits is its ability to function as a natural red colorant.

benefits: it is lycopene's molecular structure that consists of a long chain of conjugated-double bonds that accounts for its ability to inactivate free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive toxic byproducts of the bio-chemical redox reactions that occur during normal cell metabolism and as a result of exposure to damaging environmental conditions.

turmeric: its dried roots are ground into a deep yellow spice commonly used in curries and other South Asian cuisine. Its active ingredient is curcumin and it has an earthy, bitter, peppery flavor.

benefits: in the Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric is thought to have many medicinal properties and many in India use it as a readily available antiseptic for cuts and burns.