More and more people are reading the label before putting anything in their shopping basket. And rightly so, because the list of ingredients often tells you more than the front of the packet. But which additives are really worth paying attention to, and which concerns are overblown? Below, we’ll take a calm look at the facts, without blacklists and without causing a panic.
Which ingredients are best to limit?
In short: mainly added sugars and products with a long list of additives that you wouldn’t find in your kitchen cupboard at home. The best rule of thumb isn’t to memorise a list of individual E numbers, but to eat as unprocessed a diet as possible and read the label.
A single additive doesn’t mean much. A long, unfamiliar list of ingredients often tells you more, as it usually points to a highly processed product. So pay particular attention to these signs:
- The shorter the list of ingredients, the clearer it is.
- Is sugar (or another name for it) near the top of the list?
- Do you recognise most of the ingredients as things you’d use yourself?
That order tells you more than you might think: by law, ingredients must be listed in descending order of weight. So if sugar is at the top or high up on the list, the product contains a relatively large amount of it. Ingredients at the bottom of the list, on the other hand, are present in small quantities.
Want to explore this further? Read ‘What is Clean Eating and how do you practise it?’ and ‘The basics of healthy eating’.
Why is it better to limit added sugars?
Added sugars mainly provide energy and few other nutrients, and most of us consume more of them than we realise. Health guidelines, such as those from the World Health Organization and the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, therefore advise limiting the amount of free sugars.
The problem is that sugar appears on the label under many different names. Often, it isn’t simply listed as ‘sugar’, but as one of these variants:
| Name on the label | What it is |
|---|---|
| Glucose-fructose syrup, maize syrup | Liquid sugar derived from maize |
| Sucrose | Ordinary (granulated) sugar |
| Dextrose | Grape sugar |
| Maltodextrin | Sugar derived from starch |
| Fruit juice concentrate | Concentrated sugars from fruit |
Want to know more about how much you’re consuming and what foods contain it? See ‘What does too much sugar do to your body?’.
Should you avoid artificial sweeteners?
According to the current assessment, no: sweeteners such as aspartame (E951) are authorised in Europe and have been assessed as safe by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) within the acceptable daily intake (ADI). Nevertheless, some people choose to limit their intake, and that is a perfectly valid personal choice.
You’ll find them mainly in ‘light’ and ‘zero’ soft drinks, sugar-free sweets and sweetener sachets. It’s worth remembering that ‘sugar-free’ doesn’t automatically mean a product is more nutritious. It’s about your overall diet, not a single word on the label.
Which additives and E numbers do you often see on the label?
Most E-numbers are authorised and have been extensively tested before they’re allowed to be used. So an E-number on its own says little about how nutritious a product is. However, there are a few categories you might want to look out for.
- Colourings. In the EU, a mandatory warning must appear on the label for a number of synthetic colourings (known as azo colourings). This doesn’t automatically make them a problem, but it is a reason to consider whether you really need them. You’ll mainly find them in brightly coloured sweets and soft drinks.
- Flavour enhancers. The best known is glutamate (E621). The Netherlands Nutrition Centre does not consider glutamate to be a high-risk additive. In practice, it is mainly found in highly processed products such as crisps and ready meals, and that is usually a good enough reason to eat less of them.
- Preservatives. They extend the shelf life and have been tested within the permitted limits. Here too, the rule applies: a high number of preservatives often indicates a product that is heavily processed anyway.
What about fried and high-temperature foods?
There are two key factors to consider with fried and high-temperature products. The first is industrially hydrogenated (trans) fats. Since April 2021, a legal limit has been in force in the EU: a maximum of 2 grams of industrial trans fats per 100 grams of fat. Dietary guidelines also recommend consuming saturated fat in moderation.
The second is acrylamide. This substance is formed when starchy foods (such as potatoes and cereals) are heated to high temperatures, for example during deep-frying, roasting and baking. European food safety authorities advise keeping intake as low as reasonably possible. In practice, you can limit this mainly by not browning food too much and by eating deep-fried snacks in moderation.
Should you be concerned about palm oil?
Palm oil is primarily a sustainability issue, rather than a direct nutritional concern. The debate centres on how and where it is grown, and its impact on habitats. If you consider this important, you can opt for products without palm oil or those with a certified origin. This is a personal choice, not a black-and-white rule.
How do you read a label in 30 seconds?
You don’t need to be a chemist to quickly assess a label. Follow these steps:
- Look at the list of ingredients. The shorter it is, the clearer it is.
- Check whether sugar (or another name for it) appears high up on the list.
- Do you recognise most of the ingredients? If not, the product is probably highly processed.
- Take a look at the nutrition table, particularly the sugar and saturated fat content.
If you cook for yourself, you’ll know exactly what’s in it anyway. For anything that comes out of a packet, the label is your best source of information.
Frequently asked questions
Are E numbers always bad?
No. An E-number simply means that an additive has been authorised and tested in the EU. Some E-numbers are even common substances, such as vitamin C (E300). The number and type of additives say more than a single number.
Is organic food the solution?
‘Organic’ mainly refers to the production method: fewer synthetic pesticides and greater attention to animal welfare. It does not automatically mean that a product is more nutritious. If you’d like to read more about this, see The benefits of organic food and An explanation of organic farming.
Does ‘natural’ on the packaging mean anything?
‘Natural’ is not a strictly protected term and is no guarantee in itself. The ingredients list remains the most reliable source. Let the list do the work, not the words on the front.
How much added sugar per day is reasonable?
The World Health Organization recommends keeping free sugars below 10 per cent of your daily energy intake, and sees additional benefits in keeping them below 5 per cent. For many adults, the 10 per cent limit amounts to around 50 grams per day. This is a guideline, not an exact threshold.
Start with simple, clear choices
The idea of ‘nothing your body doesn’t need’ starts with a short, easy-to-read list of ingredients. This applies to supplements too. Ekopura’s products therefore feature a transparent label with no unnecessary additives, so you can see at a glance what’s inside. Feel free to browse our full range or read about how we approach this with our organic protein powder.
