Do you regularly eat foods like Doritos, Skittles, Pepsi, Fruity Pebbles? These foods, and many more, contain an ingredient called Allura or Red 40. Recent research has found that this red food dye “can be a potential trigger of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.” Allura “directly disrupts gut barrier function and increases the production of serotonin, a hormone/neurotransmitter found in the gut, which subsequently alters gut microbiota composition, leading to increased susceptibility to colitis.” This dye is very common in “candies, soft drinks, dairy products and some cereals. The dye is used to add colour and texture to foodstuffs, often to attract children.” Before purchasing a processed food product, ensure that there aren’t added dyes in the ingredient list.