Is it bad for you? Both sides, in plain words.

Maltodextrin

modified starch carbohydrate

Not harmful in the small amounts used in most foods, but it is a fast-digesting carbohydrate that raises blood sugar quickly, so it matters if it appears high in the ingredient list.

Sucralose

INS 955 · E955 · artificial sweetener

Approved as safe at normal intakes and adds no calories, but the WHO advises against relying on non-sugar sweeteners for weight control.

Aspartame

INS 951 · E951 · contains phenylalanine

Food safety experts still consider aspartame safe within the acceptable daily intake, although a WHO cancer agency labelled it ‘possibly carcinogenic’ in 2023 based on limited evidence. People with PKU must avoid it.

Stevia (steviol glycosides)

INS 960 · E960 · stevia extract

A plant-derived, zero-calorie sweetener approved as safe. It is a reasonable sugar swap, though the WHO guidance on not using sweeteners for weight control still applies.

Invert sugar syrup

invert syrup · inverted sugar

It is added sugar: table sugar split into glucose and fructose. It counts towards your sugar intake just like sugar does.

Glucose syrup (liquid glucose)

liquid glucose · corn syrup · dextrose

Added sugar made from starch. It raises blood sugar quickly and counts as sugar, even if the word ‘sugar’ doesn’t appear.

Palm oil

palmolein · vegetable oil (palm) · edible vegetable oil

Fine occasionally, but it is about half saturated fat, so a diet heavy in palm-oil foods can raise LDL cholesterol compared with oils like groundnut, mustard or olive oil.

Hydrogenated vegetable fat (vanaspati)

partially hydrogenated oil · vanaspati · bakery shortening

Partially hydrogenated fats are the main source of industrial trans fat, the most harmful fat for your heart. Avoid them where you can.

MSG (monosodium glutamate)

INS 621 · E621 · flavour enhancer 621

Food safety regulators consider MSG safe at normal intake. Its bigger practical issue is that it usually comes in salty, processed foods.

Sodium benzoate

INS 211 · E211

Approved and considered safe within set limits. Worth limiting in sugary soft drinks, especially combined with vitamin C, and for children sensitive to additives.

Lecithin

INS 322 · E322 · soy lecithin

Generally safe. It is an emulsifier usually made from soy or sunflower; the main thing to check is soy if you are allergic.

Carrageenan

INS 407 · E407 · thickener 407

Approved as safe by regulators, though some researchers have raised questions about gut effects. Normal amounts in food aren’t a known risk; people with gut issues may choose to limit it.

Caramel colour

INS 150a · INS 150c · INS 150d

Approved and considered safe within limits. It is mostly a cosmetic additive; some types contain a by-product that regulators cap, so very high cola intake is worth limiting anyway.

Tartrazine

INS 102 · E102 · yellow 5

Permitted within limits, but a small number of people react to it, and in the EU foods with it must warn that it may affect activity and attention in children.

Xanthan gum

INS 415 · E415 · thickener 415

Considered safe. It is a fibre-like thickener made by fermentation; large amounts can loosen stools.

Natural and nature-identical flavours

nature identical flavouring substances · added flavours · natural flavouring

Flavourings are permitted and used in tiny amounts. ‘Nature-identical’ means made in a lab to match a natural flavour molecule. The bigger clue is that real fruit or spice may be only a small part of the product.

Citric acid

INS 330 · E330 · acidity regulator 330

Safe. It’s the acid naturally found in lemons, usually made by fermentation. The only practical concern is tooth enamel in acidic drinks.

Potassium sorbate

INS 202 · E202 · preservative 202

One of the most studied, lowest-risk preservatives. It stops mould and yeast; rare skin sensitivity has been reported.

‘Multigrain’

made with whole grains · atta-maida blend

Multigrain only means more than one grain is used. It doesn’t mean whole grain, and many multigrain breads and biscuits are mostly refined flour.

Maida (refined wheat flour)

refined wheat flour · all-purpose flour · wheat flour (refined)

Not harmful in itself, but it has had most of the fibre and many nutrients removed, so it raises blood sugar faster and keeps you full for less time than whole wheat.

‘No added sugar’

no sugar added · unsweetened

It means no sugar was added during manufacturing, not that the product is low in sugar. Fruit, milk and dried-fruit sugars can still make it very sweet.

‘High protein’

source of protein · protein-rich · rich in protein

Regulations set a minimum protein level for the claim, but ‘high protein’ per 100 g can mean much less in the serving you actually eat, and sometimes comes with a lot of sugar or fat.

Sodium on food labels

salt · sodium per 100 g · sodium chloride

Most adults eat too much salt. A food with more than about 600 mg sodium (1.5 g salt) per 100 g is high, and the WHO recommends under 5 g salt a day in total.

Best before vs use by

expiry date · best before · use by date

‘Use by’ is about safety: don’t eat after it. ‘Best before’ is about quality: food is often fine after it if stored properly and it looks and smells normal.