Gatorade switches to plant-based dyes in MAHA win

Published April 17, 2026 5:09pm ET | Updated April 17, 2026 5:09pm ET



Gatorade beverages are switching from artificial food coloring to plant-based dyes this year, marking a win for the Make America Healthy Again movement, which has sounded the alarm about the health effects of synthetic chemical dyes.

PepsiCo, Gatorade’s parent company, announced that before the end of spring, it will remove artificial colors from all powder stick mixes; by the fall, the company will have removed all artificial dyes from Gatorade Thirst Quencher and Gatorade Zero beverages as well. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. celebrated the decision on Friday.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.