The Food and Drug Administration has said it is banning the use of Red No. 3, a synthetic dye that has long been used in the U.S. to color certain foods, such as candies and colored beverages, as well as some oral medicines and supplements.
Research shows Red No. 3 can cause cancer in animals, NBC News reported. Many food safety advocates have been concerned for decades about the substance’s presence in the U.S. food system.
“We’re thrilled that FDA has finally taken action to remove this unneeded color additive for the market and in so doing has followed the clear dictates of the law,” Dr. Peter Lurie, president and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), tells TODAY.com.
“In the absence of lobbying by the industry, I think we would all expect this product to have been banned decades ago,” he adds.
Food manufacturers have until Jan. 15, 2027 to remove Red No. 3 from their products, and drug manufacturers have until Jan. 18, 2028 to remove it from ingested medicines, according to the FDA.
Why did the FDA ban Red Dye No. 3?
The FDA said it is banning the use of Red Dye No. 3 due to evidence that the synthetic color additive can cause cancer in animals.
The agency says that under a clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), the FDA is not allowed to authorize any color additive “if it has been found to induce cancer in humans or animals.”
Jim Jones, the agency’s deputy director for human foods, said there is “evidence” of “cancer in laboratory male rats exposed to high levels of FD&C Red Dye No. 3” in a statement to NBC News.
Red Dye No. 3 has not been linked to cancer in people, but Lurie says that’s likely because it is difficult to study whether substances like food additives cause cancer in humans for a “variety of technical reasons.”
For example, it’s unethical to give human participants a substance that may cause cancer for a double-blinded study, and studying rates of cancer in the population consuming Red 3 is challenging because so many people consume it, usually in unknown quantities.
There are also concerns around Red Dye No. 3 and children. In 2011, the FDA investigated a possible link between the use of artificial dyes, including Red 3, and hyperactivity in kids. But the agency found no causal relationship, NBC News reported.
The national ban comes after California outlawed the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food in 2023. Ten other states, including Washington, South Dakota, Illinois and Missouri, also introduced legislation in recent years to restrict the use of Red Dye No. 3, according to CSPI.
What is Red Dye No. 3?Red Dye No. 3, also known as erythrosine, is a synthetic food dye that gives foods and drinks a bright red color. It is also sometimes used in oral medicines and supplements.
On food labels, the substance is listed as “FD&C Red No. 3,” “FD&C Red 3” or “Red 3,” according to the FDA.
In 1990, the FDA banned the use of the dye in cosmetics and topical drugs after a study linked the additive to tumors in male lab rats exposed to high doses.
Many other countries, including Japan, Australia and countries in the European Union, have either already banned or restricted the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food, according to NBC News.
What foods contain Red Dye No. 3?
Thousands of foods contain Red Dye No. 3, according to CSPI. Lurie says the dye is also present in some oral medications and supplements.
“A search of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Branded Foods Database at FoodData Central identified 9,201 US food products that contain Red 3 — including hundreds of products made by the country’s biggest food companies,” the CSPI notes.
Here is a list of some common foods that may contain Red 3 — per Lurie, the FDA, the CSPI and Amanda Beaver, a dietitian at Houston Methodist hospital.
- Candy, especially seasonal candies, such as candy corn and dyed marshmallows
- Cakes and cupcakes
- Frozen desserts, such as ice pops and ice creams with strawberry flavoring
- Frostings
- Maraschino cherries
- Fruit cocktails
- Colored beverages
- Protein shakes
- Vegetarian meats
- Bacon bits
- Sausages
- Strawberry milk
- Puddings
However, it is important to note that not every item that falls into one of the above categories will contain Red 3. That’s why Lurie urges consumers to read food labels before making a purchase.
Red 3 is legally required to be on food labels if present and will be listed as:
- FD&C Red No. 3
- FD&C Red 3
- Red 3
According to Drugs.com, some of the oral medicines that may contain Red 3 include:
- Acetaminophen, a pain reliever
- Fluoxetine, an antidepressant
- Gabapentin, an anticonvulsant
- Andomeprazole, which treats heartburn
“Practically everybody is consuming Red 3 some of the time,” Lurie says. “They don’t really know it, and they don’t know in what quantities they’re consuming it.”
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Since it went viral in 2020, the 12-3-30 treadmill workout continues to be a favorite among workout trends. It’s never too late to try it to add some variety to your fitness routine as the weather cools and workouts move indoors.
Walking treadmill workouts don’t require a lot of time, but if done consistently, these routines can improve endurance and aid in weight loss. One of the reasons the 12-3-30 is so popular is that it can deliver results with absolutely no running required. And like, most physical activity, walking can lower your risk of heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The workout is simple: Set the treadmill to an incline of 12 (or lower — choose a challenging incline for your fitness level) at a speed of 3 miles per hour and walk for 30 minutes.
Benefits of the “12-3-30” workout
Walking has many health benefits including improved cardiovascular health and blood pressure, reduced risk of diabetes, increased metabolism and improved mental health. It can even lower the risk of some cancers.
Since walking is lower-impact, it is less likely to cause injury than running, and walking on an incline engages your leg muscles more than walking on level ground, says TODAY fitness contributor Stephanie Mansour. “This will make for a more intense workout for your glutes, hamstrings and quads, while also increasing your heart rate.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for 150 to 300 minutes a week. Doing the 12-3-30 workout five times a week will get you into the low end of that range.
Is the “12-3-30” workout safe?
There are some risks to adding a significant incline on the treadmill, Dr. Dennis Cardone, osteopathic sports medicine specialist and chief of primary care sports medicine at NYU Langone Health, tells TODAY.com.
“The problem is people don’t think that walking is a stressor. They think ‘what’s the big deal using an incline? I’m only walking.’ But it really is a big stressor: low back, hamstring, Achilles tendon, knee, plantar fascia … these are the areas where we see some significant injury related to inclining a treadmill,” he says.
Cardone suggests starting off slowly and having rest days, “otherwise they are certainly at significant risk for an overuse injury,” he says.
Physical therapist Vijay A. Daryanani, a certified personal trainer at Spaulding Outpatient Center, a hospital that partners with Harvard Medical School, says he recommends people pay close attention to their posture while walking on an incline.
“When I’m training someone, I will adjust the incline safely and with guidance to maintain posture, balance and stride. Inclining a treadmill is similar to walking up hills, which places different stresses on the musculoskeletal system,” he says.
Here’s what to know to prevent injury if you’re ready to try the 12-3-30 workout yourself:
- Don’t be fooled by the treadmill: “People think the treadmill is so safe; it’s not outdoors, it’s a soft, forgiving surface. But it’s not that different from walking up a hill; you’re not protecting yourself that much more by being on a treadmill as opposed to being out on a road,” warns Cardone. “Thirty minutes walking up a mountain, it’s pretty tough when you think about it. People feel a little overconfident about the treadmill.”
- If you’re new to fitness, start on flat ground. “If someone is outdoors and starting their workout program, whether it’s walking, jogging, interval training, don’t look for a hill,” says Cardone. “First, tolerate flat. Once you’re doing that, then if you want to add some hills into your workout, fine. But don’t go looking for hills at the start of a program.”
- Gradually increase incline: “Slowly progress your incline, start at the lowest setting and it’s a gradual increase, like any other workout in terms of increasing mileage or intensity,” says Cardone. Adjust the numbers to meet you where you’re at. “This workout starts at a 12-degree incline, so I’d say go at 4-degree intervals. So gradually increase it over a 3-week period to get to that 12 degrees.”
- Don’t do it every day. “Almost whatever the routine is, the general rule is there should be a recovery day or at least alternating with some other activity in order to try to avoid overuse injuries,” says Cardone. “I wouldn’t discourage people from doing some sort of activity most days of the week, just not the same activity. Have a recovery day where you are doing some sort of alternate activity, maybe that might be the elliptical trainer, a bicycle or in the swimming pool, whatever you have available.”
- Supplement with strength and stretching. The bent posture of walking uphill places stress on your low back, Achilles tendon, calf muscles, plantar fascia and hamstring muscles, says Cardone. “Those are stubborn problems and people don’t want those kind of injuries, once they kick in, they are tough to treat,” he says. He suggests doing core-strengthening exercises as well as stretching those areas specifically to help reduce your risk of injury while walking or running.
- Consider the impact. If you are just getting into fitness, Cardone advises starting with lower-impact workouts. “Bicycling, elliptical trainer, swimming, cross-training type activities, are even safer. Those are great activities to start a workout routine and build up your cardiovascular endurance; you’re not doing a lot of impact, it’s a little more forgiving on the joints and also on muscle tendons,” he says. “So maybe do the treadmill 2 or 3 days a week and the other days these other activities; that is going to keep people out of trouble.”
When did this trend start?
The 12-3-30 trend took off when health and beauty influencer Lauren Giraldo posted about it on YouTube in 2019 and then again on TikTok in 2020, sharing that the workout helped her lose 30 pounds and keep it off.
“I used to be so intimidated by the gym. It wasn’t motivating, but now I go do this one thing and I can feel good about myself,” she said on TikTok. “I look forward to it. It’s my me-time.”
The influencer, who is not a fitness expert, chose the numbers 12, 3 and 30 because the highest incline on the treadmill at her gym was 12, she didn’t enjoy running and three miles per hour felt like a good, brisk walking pace to her, and her grandmother always advised to exercise at least 30 minutes each day.
According to Giraldo’s TikTok video, she does the workout approximately five times per week. “I obviously noticed the changes in my body, but I was most happy with the changes that I felt mentally,” she said. The workout helped her get comfortable stepping foot in the gym. “The thing about 12-3-30 is it made the gym so much less of a scary place. I feel confident in the gym now, and I sometimes incorporate weights and other exercises into my workout,” she said.
At first, Giraldo couldn’t make it the full 30 minutes. “I definitely had to work up to 30 minutes. I couldn’t get through it without losing my breath and started out by taking a break after the 10- or 15-minute mark,” she said.
Can you lose weight with the 12-3-30 workout?
Gradual, steady weight loss of about 1 to 2 pounds per week is optimal for keeping the weight off, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Generally to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume each day, through a lower calorie diet and regular physical activity,” the Mayo Clinic explains.
Walking for 30 minutes burns about 125 calories for a 150-pound person — and adding an incline will increase that calorie burn. So with healthy diet changes, the 12-3-30 workout has the potential to burn the calories needed for steady, gradual weight loss.
How many times a week should I do the 12-3-30 workout?
Even if you’re following these guidelines, the workout should still be done at most, every other day, alternating with other lower-impact activities.
In order to get the benefits you seek from any exercise — whether that be weight loss, toning or overall health — the key is to find a program you can stick with, said Cardone. That means the fitness routine you choose not only needs to be safe, so you’re not sidelined by an injury, but “it has to be something they enjoy, and if they are only doing one activity they are going to burn out, not just physically, but mentally,” he says.
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