When reading nutrition labels on packages, it becomes apparent food chemicals are added to flavor, color and preserve the foods we consume.

Since the purchase of organic foods have increased, it’s apparent quality food is important to Americans.

Which food coloring, food flavor, food chemical or food additive is safe and which food additive to avoid? Use the food additive checklist for easy shopping.
 

Print and laminate the food additive checklist.

Food Additives Checklist

Generally Safe to Use

Annatto
Beet juice
Beet powder
Beta-carotene or cartene                                               
Citric acid
Erythorbic acid
Gelatin
Guar Gum
Herbs and spices
Lactic acid
Lecithin
Minerals
Natural oils/extracts (vanilla extract)
Natural Sweeteners (see below)
Pectin
potassium sorbate
Sea salt
Sodium bicarbonate (a.k.a. baking soda)
Sorbic acid
Vegetable glycerin
Vitamins
Yeast

Avoid
Aluminum salts
Artificial colors
Artificial flavorings
Artificial sweeteners
Bisulfate
BHA
BHT
BVO
Caffeine
Carrageenan
EDTA
Partially hydrogenated oil (Burger King, some restaurants, frozen food manufacturers and bakeries still use it)
Metabisulfite
MSG (FDA lets companies use these terms instead of MSG: Audolyzed yeast/casein/caseinate/Broth/ glutamate/hydrolyzed/hydrolyzed protein)
Mycoprotein (some people react to it with nausea, vomiting or anaphylactic reactions. Only Quorn meat substitutes uses it)
“Natural smoke flavor”
Olestra
Potassium bromate (causes cancer in animals, watch for it in bakery products)
Propylene glycol
Propyl gallate
Sodium benzoate
Sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite
Sorbitol
Sulfur dioxide

Natural Sweeteners – Best to use
Agave (low glycemic index)
Barley malt
Brown rice syrup
Date sugar
Fruit juice
Inulin
Molasses
Raw honey
Stevia (herb, no calories and low glycemic index)
Unrefined maple syrup

Refined Sweeteners – Use sparingly if at all
Brown sugar
Corn Syrup
Dextrose, Dextrin
Fructose
Glucose
Maltodextrin
Refined maple syrup

Artificial Sweeteners – Avoid
Aspartame (a.k.a. NutraSweet)
Saccharin
Acesulfame potassium

Undecided
Mannitol
Sorbitol
Xylitol