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Provide a safer, healthier Easter
with homemade egg dyes and other
healthy tips
by Tony Isaacs
Coloring boiled eggs has been a
longtime Easter tradition. So has
including plenty of milk chocolate
and other sugar-laden candies.
However, many of the food dyes
commonly found on grocers shelves
are synthesized from petroleum
derivatives and even coal tar. This
year, provide a healthier Easter for
your children by making your own
safe dyed eggs and opting for
healthier substitutes for most or
all of the candies.
In addition, some food dyes based on
natural ingredients may come from
items you may not care to ingest.
For example, the common red food
coloring agent carminic acid comes
from the dried, crushed bodies of
pregnant scale insects.
Plant-based dyes for coloring Easter
eggs provide a synthetic-free and
bug-free alternative and their muted
yet vibrant colors are far lovelier
than their counterparts. Children
seem to find that mashing food is
also much more fun that simply
dropping a tablet in a cup. As well,
it is a great lesson in creativity
and exploring which plant materials
works in which way.
Some materials work best when they
are boiled with the eggs (as noted
below), and some work well made
ahead and used for dipping or
soaking the eggs. If you use juice,
just use it undiluted. The longer
you let the eggs soak, the more
intense the color will be (for the
boiled versions, you can remove them
from the heat and allow to cool in
the dye bath).
You can use your favorite egg-dying
tricks here as well: Like crayons
for a batik effect or rubber bands
for a tie-dye effect. If you like a
glossy egg, you can rub the dyed
eggs with vegetable oil when they
are dry.
Homemade Dyes
Blue
Canned blueberries and their juice
Purple grape juice
Red cabbage leaves (boil w/eggs)
Red
Red onion skins, use a lot (boil
w/eggs)
Pomegranate juice
Yellow
Lemon or orange peel (boil w/eggs)
Carrot tops (boil w/eggs)
Celery seed (boil w/eggs)
Ground cumin (boil w/eggs)
Ground turmeric (boil w/eggs)
Green
Spinach leaves (boil w/eggs)
Orange
Yellow onion skins (boil w/eggs)
Pink
Beets, fresh or canned
Cranberries or cranberry juice
Raspberries
Red grape juice
Violet Blue
Violet blossoms
Red onion skins, less amount than
you need to make red (boil w/eggs)
Lavender
Diluted purple grape juice
Violet blossoms plus squeeze of
lemon (boil w/eggs)
Brown
Strong coffee
Instant coffee
Black walnut shells (boil w/eggs)
Yellow Green
Bright green apple peels (boil
w/eggs)
Yellow Brown
Dill seeds (boil w/eggs)
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/homemade-natural-easter-egg-dyes.html
Other Suggestions
Limit chocolates to small amounts of
healthier dark chocolate.
Fill your own plastic shells with
healthy items such as:
*Trail mix, mixed nuts, bagels or
pretzel mix (you can also make your
own trail
*Granola or popcorn mix and choose
healthier organic items)
*Organic cereals
*Raisins, dried apricots or other
dried fruit
*Coins or dollar bills
If you give out Easter baskets, make
your own with healthier items,
Besides the eggs cups, you can also
use these healthy alternatives:
*Add books by children's favorite
authors, along with fun and colorful
Easter-themed bookmarks.
*Fill the basket with small stuffed
animals and/or with toys your kids
can use while staying active
outside, such as sidewalk chalk,
bubbles, balls and sporting
equipment.
*Consider stocking the basket with
small gifts designed to encourage
creativity in your children, such as
paints, brushes, puzzles, coloring
books and crayons.
*Add various kinds of seed packets
and some some gardening tools so
your child can plant flowers or
vegetables and watch them grow.
Gardening is wonderfully healthy for
children and spring is the perfect
time for your children to pick up
gardening. See:
Sources included:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/homemade-natural-easter-egg-dyes.html
http://www.lilsugar.com/Forget-Candy-Fill-Easter-Eggs-Healthy-Treats-2960645
http://www.ehow.com/how_2125738_create-healthy-easter-basket.html
http://www.tbyil.com/Teaching_Children_Gardening.htm
About the authorTony Isaacs is a natural health advocate and researcher and the author of books and articles about natural health including Cancer's Natural Enemy. Mr. Isaacs articles are featured at Natural News, the Health Science Institute's Healthiertalk website, CureZone, the Crusador online, AlignLife, the Cancer Tutor, the American Chronicle and several other venues. Mr. Isaacs also has The Best Years in Life website for baby boomers and others wishing to avoid prescription drugs and mainstream managed illness and live longer, healthier and happier lives naturally. In addition, he hosts the Yahoo Oleandersoup Health group of over 2000 members and the CureZone Ask Tony Isaacs - Featuring Luella May forum. Mr. Isaacs and his partner Luella May recently began hosting The Best Years in Life Radio Show for Rumor Mill News on the Micro Effect Radio Network..
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