Know Your Ingredients

Take a closer look at what is really inside packaged foods. From artificial colors and sweeteners to preservatives, flavor enhancers, and highly processed oils, this guide helps families explore common ingredients found on food labels, why they are used, and how they may affect the body over time. The goal is not fear, but understanding—so you can read labels with confidence and make smarter food choices together.

Ingredients	Why It Matters	Status
Acesulfame Potassium	Diet drinks. May affect cravings.	🔴
Acetylated Monoglycerides	Baked foods. Processed fats.	🔴
Acrylamide	Fries and chips. Heat byproduct.	🔴
Aflatoxins	Nuts and grains. Mold toxins.	🔴
Agar	Desserts and jellies. Plant thickener.	🟢
Alitame	Sugar free foods. Artificial sweetener.	🔴
Allulose	Low sugar snacks. Sweetener.	🔴
Aluminum Ammonium Sulfate	Baking mixes. Aluminum additive.	🔴
Aluminum Potassium Sulfate	Processed foods. Aluminum compound.	🔴
Aluminum Sulfate	Baked foods. Chemical additive.	🔴
Ammonia Caramel	Dark soda. Artificial coloring.	🔴
Ammonium Bicarbonate	Cookies and crackers. Helps rise.	🟡
Ammonium Chloride	Candies. Processing ingredient.	🟡
Annatto Extract	Cheese and crackers. May trigger sensitivity.	🔴
Arsenic	Rice and water. Heavy metal.	🔴
Aspartame	Diet soda. May trigger headaches.	🔴
Azo Dyes	Candy and drinks. Synthetic dyes.	🔴
Azodicarbonamide	Bread and buns. Dough chemical.	🔴
BHA	Cereal and chips. Preservative.	🔴
BPA	Canned foods. Packaging chemical.	🔴
Benzoic Acid	Drinks and sauces. Preservative.	🟡
Bleached Flour	Bread and pastries. Chemically treated.	🔴
Brilliant Blue FCF	Candy and frosting. Synthetic dye.	🔴
Brominated Vegetable Oil	Citrus drinks. Chemical stabilizer.	🔴
Butylated Hydroxyanisole	Snack foods. Synthetic preservative.	🔴
Butylated Hydroxytoluene	Crackers and cereal. Preservative.	🔴
Cadmium	Cocoa and grains. Heavy metal.	🔴
Calcium Carbonate	Cereal and juice. Natural calcium.	🟢
Calcium Chloride	Canned foods. Firming agent.	🟡
Calcium Disodium EDTA	Sauces. Preservative.	🟡
Calcium Phosphate	Cereals. Mineral additive.	🟡
Calcium Propionate	Bread. Mold preservative.	🟡
Calcium Silicate	Powders. Prevents clumping.	🟡
Canola Oil Refined	Snacks. Refined oil.	🔴
Caramel Color	Soda and sauces. Artificial coloring.	🔴
Carboxymethyl Cellulose	Sauces. Thickener.	🟡
Carmine	Candy and yogurt. Insect coloring.	🔴
Carnauba Wax	Candy coating. Processing agent.	🟡
Carrageenan	Milk and ice cream. May irritate digestion.	🔴
Citric Acid	Drinks and candy. Natural acid.	🟢
Cochineal Extract	Candy. Insect coloring.	🔴
Corn Starch	Sauces. Thickener.	🟡
Cyclamate	Diet foods. Artificial sweetener.	🔴
Date Syrup	Bars. Added sugar.	🟡
Diacetyl	Popcorn snacks. Flavoring.	🟡
Dicalcium Phosphate	Cereals. Mineral additive.	🟡
Dimethylpolysiloxane	Frying oils. Anti foam.	🟡
Dipotassium Phosphate	Dairy drinks. Texture helper.	🟡
Disodium Guanylate	Chips. Flavor booster.	🟡
Disodium Inosinate	Noodles. Flavor enhancer.	🟡
Disodium Phosphate	Processed foods. Chemical salt.	🟡
Disodium Succinate	Soups. Flavor booster.	🟡
EDTA	Sauces and dressings. Preservative.	🔴
Evaporated Cane Juice	Snacks. Added sugar.	🔴
Ferrous Gluconate	Olives. Iron additive.	🟡
Fumaric Acid	Candy. Tart additive.	🟡
Gelan Gum	Dairy alternatives. Thickener.	🟡
Gelatin	Gummies. Thickener.	🟡
Guar Gum	Sauces. Bean thickener.	🟢
Gum Arabic	Candy. Tree gum.	🟢
Hexane Residue	Seed oils. Processing residue.	🔴
Hydrogenated Oils	Packaged foods. Processed fats.	🔴
Hydrogenated Palm Oil	Sweets. Processed fat.	🔴
Indigo Carmine	Candy. Artificial blue dye.	🔴
Invert Sugar	Frosting. Added sweetener.	🟡
Isolated Soy Protein	Protein bars. Highly processed.	🟡
Isomalt	Sugar free candy. Sugar alcohol.	🟡
Lactic Acid	Drinks and candy. Acid additive.	🟡
Lactitol	Sugar free foods. Sugar alcohol.	🟡
Lead	Spices and chocolate. Heavy metal.	🔴
Locust Bean Gum	Ice cream. Natural thickener.	🟢
Magnesium Silicate	Powders. Prevents clumping.	🟡
Malic Acid	Candy. Tart flavor.	🟡
Malt Syrup	Cereals. Added sweetener.	🟡
Maltitol	Sugar free snacks. Sugar alcohol.	🟡
Maltodextrin	Processed foods. Fast carbs.	🟡
Mannitol	Sugar free candy. Sugar alcohol.	🟡
Maple Syrup Solids	Packaged foods. Added sugar.	🟡
Medium Chain Triglycerides	Drinks and bars. Processed fat.	🟡
Microcrystalline Cellulose	Cheese. Plant fiber.	🟢
Modified Corn Starch	Sauces. Thickener.	🟡
Modified Food Starch	Packaged meals. Refined starch.	🟡
Modified Tapioca Starch	Snacks. Thickener.	🟡
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)	Chips and noodles. Flavor enhancer.	🔴
Natamycin	Cheese. Mold preservative.	🟡
Natural Flavors	Packaged foods. Flavor blend.	🟡
Neotame	Processed foods. Artificial sweetener.	🔴
Nitrates	Processed meats. Curing chemicals.	🔴
Nitrosamines	Cured meats. Chemical byproducts.	🔴
Oat Fiber	Cereals. Natural fiber.	🟢
Olestra	Low fat chips. May upset digestion.	🔴
Orange B	Processed meats. Artificial dye.	🔴
PAHs	Grilled meats. Smoke byproducts.	🔴
PFAS	Food wrappers. Packaging chemicals.	🔴
Palm Kernel Oil	Candy. Refined fat.	🔴
Palm Oil	Cookies and snacks. Refined fat.	🔴
Perchlorate	Produce and water. Environmental contaminant.	🟡
Phosphoric Acid	Cola drinks. Acid additive.	🟡
Phthalates	Packaged foods. Plastic chemicals.	🔴
Polysorbate 60	Whipped toppings. Emulsifier.	🔴
Polysorbate 80	Ice cream. Stabilizer.	🔴
Potassium Alum	Processed foods. Aluminum additive.	🔴
Potassium Benzoate	Drinks. Preservative.	🟡
Potassium Bromate	Bread. Dough chemical.	🔴
Potassium Chloride	Low sodium foods. Salt substitute.	🟡
Potassium Citrate	Drinks. Acidity helper.	🟡
Potassium Metabisulfite	Dried fruit. Preservative.	🟡
Potassium Phosphate	Processed foods. Chemical salt.	🟡
Potassium Sorbate	Cheese and juice. Mold preservative.	🟡
Propyl Gallate	Oils. Synthetic preservative.	🔴
Propylparaben	Processed foods. Hormone concerns.	🔴
Pyrophosphates	Packaged foods. Chemical salts.	🟡
Refined Soybean Oil	Packaged foods. Refined oil.	🔴
Riboflavin Color	Cereals. Yellow coloring.	🟡
Saccharin	Diet foods. Artificial sweetener.	🔴
Sea Salt	Natural mineral salt.	🟢
Sodium Alginate	Desserts. Seaweed thickener.	🟢
Sodium Aluminum Phosphate	Baking mixes. Aluminum additive.	🔴
Sodium Aluminum Sulfate	Baked foods. Aluminum additive.	🔴
Sodium Benzoate	Soda and juice. Preservative.	🟡
Sodium Caseinate	Creamers. Milk protein.	🟡
Sodium Citrate	Cheese sauce. Acidity helper.	🟡
Sodium Diacetate	Snacks. Preservative.	🟡
Sodium Erythorbate	Processed meats. Preservative.	🟡
Sodium Ferrocyanide	Salt. Anti clumping chemical.	🔴
Sodium Hexametaphosphate	Seafood. Moisture helper.	🟡
Sodium Lactate	Meats. Preservative.	🟡
Sodium Metabisulfite	Dried fruit. Preservative.	🟡
Sodium Nitrate	Processed meats. Curing agent.	🔴
Sodium Phosphate	Processed foods. Chemical salt.	🟡
Sodium Propionate	Bread. Mold preservative.	🟡
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate	Bread. Keeps softness.	🟡
Sodium Tripolyphosphate	Seafood. Chemical salt.	🟡
Sorbic Acid	Cheese. Mold preservative.	🟡
Soybean Oil Refined	Packaged foods. Processed oil.	🔴
Stevia Extract	Low sugar foods. Plant sweetener.	🟡
Sucralose	Sugar free foods. Artificial sweetener.	🔴
Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate	Drinks. Stabilizer.	🟡
Tagatose	Low sugar foods. Sweetener.	🟡
Tapioca Starch	Sauces. Natural starch.	🟢
Tartaric Acid	Candy. Tart additive.	🟡
Tartrazine	Chips and candy. Yellow dye.	🔴
Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate	Processed foods. Chemical salt.	🟡
Titanium Dioxide	Candy. Whitening ingredient.	🔴
Tricalcium Phosphate	Cereals. Calcium mineral.	🟢
Tripolyphosphate	Meats. Moisture helper.	🟡
Trisodium Phosphate	Cereals. Chemical salt.	🟡
Vanillin Artificial	Cookies. Lab made flavor.	🔴
Vegetable Glycerin	Bars. Keeps foods moist.	🟢
Vegetable Mono and Diglycerides	Bread. Emulsifier.	🟡
Vegetable Shortening	Pastries. Processed fat.	🔴
Whey Protein Isolate	Protein bars. Processed milk protein.	🟡
Xanthan Gum	Sauces. Fermented thickener.	🟢