Since I am a major health nut, I always read labels before I buy food. I often see the ingredient Annatto listed on packages, so what is it?
It's a natural food coloring made from the ground up seed pods of - surprise, surprise - the annatto tree, which grows in Central and South America. 
It is also called the Achiote tree. After this tree flowers, it produces hairy pods that turn blackish-brown when ripe.
Annatto adds color to cheese, butter, margarine, rice, smoked fish, and microwave popcorn. It is often used as a substitute for the expensive herb saffron.
It also has antioxidants. I guess that doesn't really matter since you only ingest a small amount, but hey, it's better than nothing.
Well now I feel much better knowing Annatto really is an all natural food coloring. Much better than Red 40.
Versace
Juicy Couture
Balmain
interesting
1I ahve always wondered ehat that is. Looks freaky.
2It looks so weird...I can't imagine what people were thinking when they first got the idea to use stuff like this, you know? Smart people, though.
Glad it's not bad for you!
3Annatto is also the only natural food coloring to cause as many alergic reactions as artificial food dyes. My daughter is alergic to it and it is in almost every yellow or red thing kids are eating today.
4I have also recently discovered I have a pretty severe allergy to annatto. Within minutes of consuming it my airways close up and I have trouble swallowing. There have also been several reports of head banging in small children - http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/factsheets/Factannatto.htm. This site offers beta-carotene as a safe alternative.
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