This section contains information that can help you avoid potentially troublesome additives, depending on your food sensitivities, allergies, or other special considerations.
Acesulfame-potassium (Sunett®, Sweet One®)
Artificial colorings
Aspartame (NutraSweet®, Equal®)
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Caramel color
Carrageenan*
Diacetyl
Potassium bromate
Propyl gallate
Sodium benzoate†
Tert-butylhydroquinone (THBQ)
These additives may provoke allergic reactions like asthma, breathing difficulties, fatigue, headaches, increased heart rate, migraines, and skin reactions.
Agar
Alginate (alginic acid, algin, sodium alginate, Pacific kelp)
Annatto extract
Artificial colorings
Aspartame (NutraSweet®, Equal®)
Bromate (calcium bromate, potassium bromate)
Caffeine
Calcium propionate
Carmine
Cochineal extract
Gums (acacia, Arabic, furcellaran, guar, locust bean, tragacanth, xanthan)
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP, TVP, hydrolyzed soy protein, hydrolyzed wheat protein, hydrolyzed whey protein, hydrolyzed casein, texturized vegetable protein)
Inulin
Isoamyl acetate
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Neotame
Quinine
Sodium benzoate (benzoic acid)
Sodium hexametaphosphate
Sucralose (Splenda®)
Sulfites (potassium bisulfate, potassium metabisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite, sulfur dioxide, sodium bisulfite)
These additives may cause gas, bloating, cramping, or changes in bowel movements.
Agar (agar-agar)
Alginate (alginic acid, algin, sodium alginate, Pacific kelp)
Carboxymethylcellulose (sodium carboxymethylcellulose)
Gluten
Gums (acacia, Arabic, furcellaran, guar, locust bean, tragacanth, xanthan)
Hydrogenated starch hydrolysate (hydrogenated glucose syrup, maltitol syrup, sorbitol syrup)
Inulin
Sugar alcohols (erythritol, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol [glucitol], xylitol)
Olestra (Olean®)
Polydextrose (Litesse®, Sta-Lite®, Trimcal)
Salatrim (Benefat®)
Vitamin C (high amounts have a laxative effect)
Acesulfame-potassium (Sunett®, Sweet One”)
Artificial colorings
Aspartame (NutraSweet®, Equal®)
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Caramel color
Corn syrup (solids)
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
Invert sugar
Neotame
Olestra (Olean®)
Partially hydrogenated oils (partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, partially hydrogenated palm oil)
Saccharin (Sweet 'N Low®)
Salatrim (Benefat®)
Salt (excessive amounts)
Sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite
Sucralose (Splenda®)
Sugar (sucrose, cane sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar) (excessive amounts)
Trans fat
All milk-containing products
Calcium (or Sodium) stearoyl lactylate
Lactitol
Lactose
Dextrins (wheat-derived: maltodextrin)
Gluten
Hydrogenated starch hydrolysate (wheat-derived: hydrogenated glucose syrup, maltitol syrup, sorbitol syrup)
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (wheat-derived: HVP, hydrolyzed protein, hydrolyzed wheat protein, TVP, texturized vegetable protein)
Maltose (barley-derived: dried maltose syrup, maltose syrup, dried malt syrup)
Modified food starch (wheat-derived)
Mono- and Di-glycerides (wheat carrier)
All additives with “sodium” in the name
All additives with “salt” in the name
Aluminosilicic acid (aluminum sodium salt, aluminum sodium silicate, disodium citrate)
Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda, sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium bicarbonate)
[*] When degraded in the presence of high heat and fed in large amounts
[†] In combination with ascorbic acid, may react under specific conditions to form benzene, a carcinogen