Colorants

Curcumins give foods a yellow-orange color and are linked to turmeric pigments, but as E100 they primarily work as a color additive. In low-carb eating, the key question is not the color itself, but the surrounding product: sugar, starch, syrups, flavorings, and frequency of use.

Riboflavins provide a yellow-orange color and are linked to vitamin B2, but as E101 they are usually used as colorants. For keto and LCHF, it is important not to confuse coloring a product with correcting vitamin deficiency, and to evaluate the whole formula around the colorant.

Tartrazine is a synthetic yellow azo dye, known as E102, used for a bright lemon-yellow color. In low-carb eating it is not a carbohydrate, but it often appears in sweet drinks, desserts, and ultra-processed foods, and sensitive individuals may need caution.

Quinoline Yellow is a synthetic yellow-green colorant that makes drinks, sweets, and processed foods look brighter. In low-carb eating, E104 matters not as a carbohydrate, but as a marker of ultra-processed products and possible sensitivity in some people.

Sunset Yellow FCF is a synthetic orange-yellow azo dye that strengthens the fruity, dessert-like, or beverage image of a product. In low-carb eating, E110 matters as a marker of sweet ultra-processed forms and possible sensitivity, not as a carbohydrate source.

Carmine, carminic acid, and cochineal provide red, pink, and purple shades and are derived from cochineal insects. In low-carb eating, E120 usually matters less as a carbohydrate and more for allergy, vegan, religious, and ethical restrictions.

Azorubine, also called carmoisine, is a synthetic red azo dye used for raspberry, cherry, and pink shades. In low-carb eating, E122 matters not as a carbohydrate, but as a marker of sweet ultra-processed products and possible sensitivity.

Amaranth E123 is a synthetic red azo dye, unrelated to amaranth grain as a food. In low-carb eating, it matters as a marker of brightly processed products and a colorant with a more restricted regulatory context, not as a carbohydrate source.

Ponceau 4R, or Cochineal Red A, is a synthetic red azo dye and is not carmine E120 despite the similar name. In low-carb eating, E124 matters as a marker of bright sweet processed products and possible sensitivity.

Erythrosine E127 is a synthetic pink-red colorant with an iodinated structure, so it should not be described as just another red dye. In low-carb eating it is not a carbohydrate, but it matters as a marker of processed sweet products and as a reason to consider thyroid and sensitivity context.

Allura Red AC E129 is a synthetic red azo dye, often known as Red 40, used for bright red and berry-like shades. In low-carb eating, it matters as a marker of sweet ultra-processed products and possible sensitivity, not as a carbohydrate source.

Patent Blue V E131 is a synthetic blue colorant used for blue, sky-blue, and greenish shades, often in drinks, desserts, and decorative products. In low-carb eating, it is not a carbohydrate, but it helps identify brightly processed foods and possible colorant reactions.

A synthetic blue dye that gives a cool blue-violet shade; the practical issue is its ADI, purity specifications and the fact that bright colouring often appears in ultra-processed foods.

A synthetic bright-blue dye that gives a clean blue shade; nutritionally it is most often a marker of sweet drinks, desserts and industrially designed foods.

Green pigments based on chlorophylls and chlorophyllins are used to colour foods; the key point is to distinguish natural leaf pigments, processed derivatives and real safety data.

Green copper complexes of chlorophylls and chlorophyllins provide a more stable colour, but they are technological colourants rather than equivalents of leafy greens; source, copper content and safety data gaps matter.

A synthetic green dye that gives a cool emerald shade; in low-carb eating it is mainly a marker of bright industrial drinks, sweets and desserts.

Plain caramel E150a is a brown colour made from heated carbohydrates, but in a finished food it is not the same as sugar; dose, purpose and the surrounding ingredient list matter more.

Sulphite caramel E150b gives brown colour and differs from plain caramel by its manufacturing process; the important issues are the colour class, sulphite context and the surrounding ingredient list.

Ammonia caramel E150c is a class III brown colourant used for stable dark shades; nutritionally, colour must be separated from sugar, flavour and nutrient value.

Sulphite ammonia caramel E150d is a dark class IV caramel colour often used in drinks and sauces; for LCHF, the full composition, serving size and regularity matter more than the code alone.

A synthetic black azo dye used for dark shades in drinks, desserts and sauces; nutritionally, the ADI, child exposure and the full ingredient list matter.

Vegetable carbon E153 provides black colour and is not the same as activated charcoal used as a sorbent; raw material, PAH control, particle data and the full food matrix matter.

Carotenes E160a provide yellow-orange colour and are linked with beta-carotene, but a colourant is not a serving of carrots and does not replace vitamin A from a complete diet.

Annatto E160b gives yellow-orange colour through bixin and norbixin; plant origin does not make it automatically beneficial, and individual dye sensitivity matters.

Paprika extract E160c gives red-orange colour through capsanthin and capsorubin; it comes from pepper but is not necessarily a hot spice or a substitute for whole vegetables.

Lycopene E160d gives red colour and is familiar from tomatoes, but as a colourant it is not the same as tomato food; total exposure, fat for absorption and the full formula matter.

Beta-apo-8-carotenal E160e gives yellow-orange colour and is an apocarotenoid; nutritionally it is a technological colourant, not a substitute for vegetables or vitamin A.

Ethyl ester of beta-apo-8-carotenoic acid E160f provides orange colour; it is a narrow technological additive, not a substitute for carotenoid-rich vegetables.

Lutein E161b is a yellow carotenoid known from greens and egg yolk; as a colourant it is not the same as an eye-health supplement and must be judged by the whole product.

Canthaxanthin E161g is an orange-red carotenoid colour; it should be separated from ordinary food carotenoids and from conclusions based on high-dose supplement use.

Beetroot red E162 provides red-violet colour through betanin; it is a natural pigment, but a coloured dessert is not the same as a serving of beetroot.

Anthocyanins E163 provide red, purple and blue shades from plant sources; as colourants they are not the same as berries and do not cancel a sugar-based product.

Titanium dioxide E171 was formerly used as a white colour and opacifier, but EFSA in 2021 no longer considered it safe as a food additive because genotoxicity concerns could not be ruled out.

Iron oxides and hydroxides E172 provide yellow, red, brown and black shades; they are mineral colourants, not a nutritional iron supplement.

Aluminium E173 is a silver-grey metallic colour used for decoration; it is not a nutrient and should not be treated as a harmless sign of product premium quality.

Silver E174 is used for a metallic decorative effect; it is not a nutrient or a sign of benefit, and specifications plus total exposure matter.

Gold E175 is used as a decorative metallic colour; it adds no nutrients and does not make a dessert or drink healthier.

Litholrubine BK E180 is a red azo dye used mainly for edible cheese rind; it should be assessed by its purpose, tolerance and whether the rind is eaten.