A Redditor was getting ready to do some baking but needed some alternatives to accommodate allergies. So they looked to r/FoodAllergies for expert advice.
"I am making a red velvet cake for my nephew's birthday party where some of the people have allergies like mine," wrote the original poster. "Some of the children cannot have red dye, so I am wondering, before I have to go classic with making my own dye from scratch, if you had any recommendations. There can also not be polysorbate 80."
Commenters were unanimous in suggesting beets as a substitute. The coloring is all-natural and supplements the flavor of the cake in favorable ways, according to users.
Red dye allergies are relatively uncommon, but avoiding it in general is a healthy choice. Red dye number 3 was recently banned by the FDA for containing cancer-causing ingredients. Food manufacturers will still have until 2027 to find substitutions, however, so you'll still be able to find it on store shelves for some time. The Center for Science in Public Interest has qualified many other synthetic dyes as "a rainbow of risks." They've even said behavioral changes in children have been linked to artificial coloring.
These risks have pushed major brands like PepsiCo to start finding natural alternatives to synthetic dyes in their products. Reddit community members had some extra advice when using beets for red velvet cake. Some companies are working on natural replacements for current dyes to be used in industrial settings.
"Warn parents first though! Seeing your kid pee red is terrifying, lol," said one commenter.
"It doesn't sound like it would taste good, but it does," said another. "I would do a test cake beforehand to make sure it tastes how you want it to, but this is your best bet."
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