Can processed foods and food dyes increase your cardiovascular risk?

What's actually in it

Processed foods contain artificial food dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1), emulsifiers, preservatives, and flavor enhancers. These additives make food look brighter, last longer, and taste more appealing. They're in everything from cereal and candy to salad dressing and yogurt.

Most people eat some processed food every day. The cumulative intake of these additives over a lifetime is much higher than what safety testing typically evaluates.

What the research says

A 2026 review in Cardiol Rev examined the evidence linking processed food additives and artificial dyes to cardiovascular health. The review found that regular consumption of these substances is associated with increased inflammation, gut microbiome disruption, and elevated cardiovascular disease markers.

Artificial food dyes were flagged as a particular concern. Several commonly used dyes triggered inflammatory responses in the gut that can cascade into systemic effects on blood vessels and heart function. Emulsifiers disrupted the gut barrier, allowing bacterial toxins to enter the bloodstream and promote arterial inflammation.

Reading ingredient labels and choosing foods with fewer artificial additives is a straightforward way to reduce this risk. Whole, unprocessed foods don't contain these chemicals. When buying packaged food, products with shorter ingredient lists typically have fewer additives.