Say Hello to the Red Bug You Had No Idea You Were Eating Regularly

(KNUE-FM) The time has come for you to make the acquaintance of someone, or something, very close to you. Please take a good look at this little red bug, because you're possibly eating it regularly.

And how do we know you're quite possibly eating it?

Because of how many food items this little creature helps dye a pleasing shade of red or pink, ironically making your food look more appealing.

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I get it if you need to scream and run away for a little while. I was just there not too long ago.

The insect is called a Cochineal.

What Is a Cochineal Bug, and Why Is It in Your Food?

Smithsonian Magazine states, 'Dried cochineal insects can be processed to create natural dyes such as carmine and cochineal extract. These products get that red hue from carminic acid, a chemical found within the insect.'

There's a good chance that some of those foods we buy at our Texas grocery stores contain cochineal bugs. You could find them in cakes, licorice, jams, canned cherries, and more.

Granted, that photo doesn't necessarily whet your appetite.

READ MORE: A Powerful Sting Could Await You if Not Careful in Galveston, Texas

However, when you compare some of the potential hazards of synthetic dyes on the market, we may want to reconsider, especially considering that people have been using these 0.2-inch-long, oval-shaped bugs to make natural dyes for hundreds of years, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

Natural vs. Synthetic Dyes: Which Is Safer? Depends.

If you're not sure whether you've ever enjoyed the red-hued remnants of this little red bug, you should know that quite a few restaurants and coffee shops, including Starbucks, have used the natural dye. However, they stopped using it in 2022.

Yum, yum, no?