One of the greatest blessings anyone can receive from God is a healthy body that allows them to experience an excellent quality of life. Being able to get out and enjoy spending time with friends and family, seeing the beauty of God’s creation, and engaging in favorite hobbies or social activities are often taken for granted. Typically, it isn’t until we get sick that we often realize that blessing. The Red Dye No. 3 Ban is a reminder of the importance of being a bit savvy about what goes into the foods we eat, taking time to read labels, and making healthy food choices.
Red Dye No. 3 is also referred to as FD&C Red No. 3, Red Dye 3, and erythrosine. The dye is made from petroleum and is used to give various foods a bright, cherry-red color, according to Consumer Reports. The dye is also used in some medications and has been used by both food manufacturers and medical companies, according to Forbes. Since its bright color makes it stand out, it’s believed that it enhances the visual appeal of products in the eyes of consumers.
The dye causes cancer in lab rats, and the FDA has known this for about three decades. However, because the amount fed to lab rats is significantly higher (comparatively) than what would be fed to humans, there were challenges in banning it, even though it has been banned in Europe for several decades, according to Euro News. The FDA has finally decided to ban Red Dye No. 3 under The Delaney Clause, enacted in 1960 as part of the Color Additives Amendment to the FD&C Act. The clause prohibits the use of any food or color additive found to cause cancer in either rats or humans and has a zero tolerance. The ban gives food manufacturers until Jan. 15, 2027 to come up with a substitute, and drug manufacturers have until the following year, according to NBC News.
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1. God’s Use of Bright Colors for Our Food
1. God’s Use of Bright Colors for Our Food
Interestingly, brightly colored natural foods help to lower a person’s risk of cancer. So foods such as red apples, cherries, oranges, strawberries, cranberries, and tomatoes, to name just a few, have qualities to help combat cancer, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Other foods that help reduce the risk of cancer include lean meats such as fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, lean dairy, vegetables such as broccoli, Romaine lettuce, and spinach, whole grains, and extra virgin olive oil, to name just a few, according to MD Anderson Center.
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2. God Designed Our Bodies to Benefit from Exercise
2. God Designed Our Bodies to Benefit from Exercise
Perhaps the reason for finally banning a color additive that has been on the market for so long, in spite of the suspicion it could cause cancer, is that many types of cancers are on the rise. Cases of cancer were expected to cross the 2 million mark in 2024, according to Cancer.org.
The eleven most common cancers include breast, prostate, endometrial, pancreatic, kidney, melanoma, lung, colon, rectum, bladder and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. While much of that was attributed to the aging baby boomer generation, there is also an increase in early-onset cancers. In general, early-onset is anytime between the ages of 18-49, according to Yale Medicine.
The good news is that taking a bit of time to exercise each week lowers the risk of many types of cancer. Some of these include a lower risk of lung cancer, liver, stomach, kidney, and more, according to Cancer.org. In general, the recommended amount of exercise is a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, according to Cancer.org.
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3. God Can Work through Healthcare Providers
3. God Can Work through Healthcare Providers
The cost of cancer care in the United States projected between the years of 2015 – 2030 is anticipated to increase by 30 percent. In general, the cost of the end-of-life phase for people who pass away from cancer is over $100,000 per person, according to American Association for Cancer Research.
Doing self exams and seeing a doctor on a regular basis can help with early detection. The earlier cancer is detected, the better a person’s chances of winning that battle. About 75 percent of cancer deaths can be prevented, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
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4. God Designed Our Bodies to Use Sleep to Enhance Our Health
4. God Designed Our Bodies to Use Sleep to Enhance Our Health
Type A personalities may have trouble accepting this fact, but proper sleep is critical to our health, whether our focus is as major as lowering our risk of cancer or as simple as avoiding the common cold. Another benefit of sufficient sleep is it helps with maintaining a healthy weight, which is also important for lowering our risk of cancer, according to Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.
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5. God Designed Our Bodies to Use Water to Enhance Our Health
5. God Designed Our Bodies to Use Water to Enhance Our Health
Some people may choose to use filtered water or spring water rather than water out of the tap, but the fact is, there are studies that show that water lowers the risk of some cancers. About 75 percent of the U.S. population doesn’t drink enough water. Those who drank 4-5 glasses per day were found to be at a lower risk for colon, bladder, and breast cancers. Water also helps with digestion, detoxification, nutrient absorption, and other functions, according to Hitting Cancer Below the Belt.
1 Corinthians 6:19 tells Christians that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in each of us. So, one way we can express our gratitude and give Him praise and honor for the blessing of good health is to be intentional about caring for the body He has given us to the best of our ability.
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Originally published January 20, 2025.
