In a world where it seems like every candy, snack, and school lunch contains more artificial colors than actual nutrients, a thought-provoking moment has arisen in the midst of political banter. Bobby Kennedy Jr. (yes, that Kennedy) recently got the crowds cheering as he proclaimed he’s made it his mission to end the chronic disease epidemic plaguing our nation. And just like that, he gave children everywhere a glimmer of hope that one day their diets might not resemble a kindergarten art project gone wrong. As the applause thundered through the stadium, one couldn’t help but imagine that the fruits and vegetables sitting forlornly in grocery stores were silently cheering too. After all, they’ve been pretty lonely lately.
But let’s take a moment to appreciate the irony: while RFK Jr. is out there trying to save America’s children from dying young via McDonald’s drive-thru, the FDA has finally gotten around to banning red dye number three after, wait for it, 35 years. It’s mind-boggling that this red food dye may have caused cancer in lab rats yet has been sitting in our snacks and drinks all this time without a peep from the very health authorities we trust to keep us safe. It calls to mind the classic game of “Let’s Pretend,” where we pretend these ingredients are fine for human consumption.
It’s almost as if the FDA was waiting for a public outcry fueled by social media waves, or perhaps a hint of celebrity endorsement from the Kennedy lineage, before they decided to roll up their sleeves and take action. Do we really need a politician to wave a magic wand (or a candy bar) to get them to do their job? One can’t help but give a little chuckle at the absurdity of this waiting game. It’s like watching a marathon runner take a break at the 20-mile mark—”I know it looks bad, but just let me finish this burger first!”
The FDA is giving food manufacturers until 2027 to phase out red dye number three, and until 2028 for drug manufacturers. That’s a two-step shuffle that feels about as fast as molasses in January. Yet here we are, all too familiar with the sinking feeling of reading health reports that suggest a possible monster under our snack bed. What’s next? Are they going to ban yellow dye five from macaroni and cheese after kids have graduated college?
Kennedy’s passionate defense of healthier food standards might be up against a bureaucratic wall, but it does raise an important point: if something isn’t safe for our skin, then why on earth should we be ingesting it? Our nation’s kids may ingest more artificial colors than a rainbow at a pride parade, yet the idea of a world where they munch on real, unadulterated food seems radical. However, it’s a goal that speaks widely beyond political affiliations. Can we seriously blame a generation for feeling lackluster about their health when the school cafeteria menu reads more like a chemistry experiment than a lunch selection?
In a world dominated by Big Food and Big Pharma, desperate to make billions while our kids munch on brightly-colored plastic snacks, Bobby is calling out the hypocrisy in government accountability. The Democrats might claim to have the best interests of our nation’s children at heart, but their notion of “healthcare” has often left our kids drowning in an ocean of sugar and artificial chemicals. If nothing else, this political drama has opened a front in the never-ending battle of healthy versus unhealthy, and perhaps, just perhaps, we’ll finally start seeing some real change that doesn’t take a century to unfold.
So, buckle up, folks. With RFK Jr. eyeing the position of HHS Secretary, there’s bound to be more than just dietary legislation on the table. Maybe this time, it won’t take another 35 years to realize that our food system deserves a better fate than to be the punchline of a bad joke. Whatever happens, one thing’s for sure—the next time you pop a gummy bear, you might just want to look twice at the ingredients. Or better yet, visit those neglected fruits and veggies down the produce aisle. Let’s see if they can bring the flavor back to healthy eating, one bite at a time.
