If you’ve ever stood in the supermarket, turned over a packet and been confronted with a list of ingredients that looks more like a chemistry experiment than something you’re about to eat, you’re certainly not alone.
According to new research from recipe box brand Gousto, Brits spend more than one hour and 20 minutes every month trying to work out the ingredients in their food shops. One in three UK adults (33 per cent) admit they wouldn’t be able to explain some ingredient names they see in everyday foods, while 21 per cent have simply given up trying to decipher ingredient lists. One in five (20 per cent) have even decided not to buy a product because they didn’t understand its ingredients.
But should we really be avoiding anything that sounds remotely chemical?
Not necessarily, says registered nutritionist Rob Hobson.
‘I should probably start by saying that I don’t really have a blacklist of ingredients I think everyone should avoid,’ he explains. ‘An unfamiliar or chemical-sounding name doesn’t automatically make something unhealthy.’
Take ascorbic acid, for example. It might sound alarming, but it’s simply vitamin C. And many food additives have legitimate purposes – from keeping food safe and extending shelf life to improving texture.
‘An unfamiliar or chemical-sounding name doesn’t automatically make something unhealthy,’ says registered nutritionist Rob Hobson
That’s one reason Hobson has teamed up with Gousto on its new What The Food tool, an AI-powered digital tool designed to decode more than 100 of the UK’s most confusing industrial ingredients. Its scanner allows shoppers to scan the back of a food packet and instantly find out what the ingredients actually are.
‘People don’t necessarily need more rules about what to avoid – they need clearer information about what ingredients actually are,’ says Hobson.
That said, there are seven ingredients he personally tends to avoid or limit.
1. Carrageenan (E407)
Carrageenan is extracted from red seaweed and used as a thickener and stabiliser. You’ll find it in some plant milks, dairy desserts, ice cream and sauces.
Hobson says it’s one he doesn’t tend to choose too often because of emerging research into how certain emulsifiers, thickeners and stabilisers could interact with the gut microbiome.
But he’s keen to stress that the science isn’t settled.
‘I think it’s really important not to get ahead of the science here,’ he says. ‘I certainly wouldn’t tell someone to put back an otherwise nutritious food just because carrageenan appears towards the bottom of the ingredients list.’
If he has two nutritionally similar options, however, he’ll probably choose the one without it.
Look for: Carrageenan or E407.
His swap: If you’re choosing a plant milk, prioritise an unsweetened version fortified with calcium, ideally vitamin B12 and vitamin D, and check the protein content rather than simply choosing the product with the shortest ingredients list.
2. Brilliant Blue FCF (E133)
Ever wondered what gives sweets, slushies and brightly coloured drinks their almost fluorescent blue hue? Meet Brilliant Blue FCF.
It’s a synthetic food colouring used in confectionery, drinks, desserts and cake decorations.
Hobson says this is an ingredient he largely avoids without actually making a conscious effort to do so.
‘I don’t eat many intensely coloured sweets or drink brightly coloured sugary drinks, so it’s just not something that crops up very often in my diet,’ he says.
And that’s an important distinction. He’s not saying E133 itself is dangerous – rather, the foods it tends to appear in aren’t things he eats very often.
‘I wouldn’t recommend that people become frightened of an occasional food because it contains a blue colouring,’ he says.
Look for: Brilliant Blue FCF or E133.
His swap: Don’t worry about finding an E133-free version of an occasional treat. Instead, make water or unsweetened drinks your everyday choice, and choose fruit, yogurt, nuts or dark chocolate more often than confectionery.
3. Sucralose (E955)
If you’ve ever picked up a ‘sugar-free’ or ‘low-sugar’ product, there’s a good chance you’ve encountered sucralose.
The intense sweetener is around 600 times sweeter than sugar and is commonly used in diet drinks, reduced-sugar desserts, flavoured yogurts and protein products.
Hobson isn’t particularly keen on intensely sweet foods himself.
‘I personally don’t have much of a sweet tooth, so I generally prefer foods and drinks that aren’t intensely sweet rather than replacing all the sugar with sweeteners,’ he says.
But this is a preference rather than a warning that sucralose is toxic. The EFSA has re-evaluated sucralose and concluded that it remains safe at its currently authorised uses.
There’s also an important bit of context: if you’re drinking several full-sugar fizzy drinks every day, switching to a sugar-free version can still be a sensible step towards reducing your sugar intake.
Look for: Sucralose or E955.
His swap: Choose unsweetened yogurt or plant milk and add fruit if you want sweetness. For drinks, water or sparkling water are his everyday choices.
4. Sodium nitrite (E250)
Sodium nitrite is a preservative used particularly in cured and processed meats. It helps prevent harmful bacteria and contributes to the characteristic colour and flavour of foods such as bacon and ham.
Hobson’s approach? He doesn’t obsess over E250 – he simply doesn’t eat much processed meat.
‘We know that regularly eating processed meat is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, which is why health advice is generally to limit how much we eat,’ he says.
So rather than scrutinising every packet of bacon for E250, he focuses on how often he’s eating bacon, ham, salami and processed sausages.
‘I certainly wouldn’t panic because I’d eaten a couple of slices of bacon once in a while,’ he says.
Look for: Sodium nitrite or E250. You may also see sodium nitrate (E251) or potassium nitrite (E249).
His swap: Fresh chicken, fish, eggs, beans, lentils or minimally processed meat. The key is what you’re eating most often, rather than completely banning processed meat.
Ascorbic acid might sound alarming, but it’s simply vitamin C. And many food additives have legitimate purposes – from keeping food safe and extending shelf life to improving texture
Gousto’s What The Food tool allows shoppers to scan the back of a food packet and instantly find out what the ingredients actually are
5. Maltitol (E965)
If you’ve ever eaten a ‘sugar-free’ sweet or protein bar and then wondered why your stomach suddenly isn’t feeling quite so friendly, maltitol could be the culprit.
Maltitol is a type of polyol, or sugar alcohol, used as a sugar substitute. It’s particularly common in sugar-free confectionery, protein bars and desserts.
Hobson’s reason for limiting it is very practical: his gut doesn’t always love it.
‘Polyols aren’t completely absorbed and, depending on the amount and the individual, they can cause bloating, wind, abdominal discomfort or a laxative effect,’ he explains.
The effects are dose-dependent, though, and some people tolerate maltitol perfectly well.
Look for: Maltitol, maltitol syrup or E965. Other polyols include sorbitol, xylitol and isomalt.
His swap: Protein bars are a good example. Hobson eats them occasionally when he’s caught short after the gym or travelling, but most of the time he’d rather get his protein from eggs, yogurt, edamame beans, beans and lentils, fish or lean meat.
6. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) (E621)
MSG has had something of a PR problem over the years.
The flavour enhancer boosts umami – that savoury flavour found naturally in foods such as tomatoes, mushrooms and Parmesan. It’s common in savoury snacks, seasoning mixes, instant noodles, some ready meals and takeaway-style foods.
But despite its reputation, Hobson isn’t worried about MSG itself.
‘MSG has been demonised for years and I don’t think the evidence justifies that,’ he says.
Glutamate occurs naturally in many foods and is also produced naturally by the body. While there have been claims that MSG causes headaches and other symptoms, the evidence doesn’t support the idea that the amounts normally consumed in food are harmful.
For Hobson, it’s simply that the foods MSG tends to appear in aren’t foods he eats particularly often.
Look for: Monosodium glutamate, MSG or E621.
His swap: He gets his savoury hit naturally, using ingredients such as tomatoes, mushrooms, Parmesan, herbs and spices when cooking.
7. Sodium benzoate (E211)
Finally, there’s sodium benzoate, a preservative used to prevent yeasts, moulds and bacteria growing in food and drink.
You’ll often find it in soft drinks, squashes, sauces and other acidic packaged foods.
Again, Hobson isn’t suggesting that you need to panic when you spot it.
‘I don’t actively avoid sodium benzoate because I think it’s inherently dangerous,’ he says. ‘It’s more that I don’t drink many soft drinks or squashes and tend to cook with fairly simple ingredients.’
In fact, preservatives can help keep food safe, extend its shelf life and reduce food waste.
‘For me, this is much more about frequency and the food containing it,’ he says. ‘If I had a sauce containing sodium benzoate occasionally, I wouldn’t give it a second thought.’
Look for: Sodium benzoate or E211. You may also see benzoic acid (E210) or potassium benzoate (E212).
His swap: Water, sparkling water, tea or coffee rather than lots of soft drinks and squash. When it comes to sauces, you could make your own or simply choose a fresher option when practical.
So, what should you actually look for on a food label?
After all that, you might be wondering whether you should now spend every supermarket shop scrutinising every single E-number.
Hobson’s answer is no.
‘I’m much more interested in the food as a whole than whether it contains an E-number,’ he says.
Depending on what he’s buying, he’ll look at saturated fat, salt, sugars, fibre and protein, while using the ingredients list to understand what he’s actually eating.
And this, perhaps, is the biggest takeaway. Rather than creating an ever-growing list of ingredients we’re ‘not allowed’ to eat, Hobson recommends thinking about what we can add to our diets.
‘Can I get some more fibre in here? Some protein? Another portion of vegetables? Some nuts or seeds?’ he says.
‘I find that a much more useful way to think about food than trying to create an ever-growing list of ingredients you’re not allowed to eat.’