Is that additive actually bad for you?

Red 40 is a petroleum-derived synthetic azo dye — the most-used food color in the U.S. It adds a bright red hue to candy, drinks, and cereal but has no nutritional purpose or flavor.

E129

Yellow 5, or tartrazine, is a petroleum-derived synthetic azo dye used to give foods a lemon-yellow color. Like other artificial colors it is purely cosmetic — it adds no nutrition or flavor.

E102

Aspartame is a low-calorie artificial sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, made from two amino acids (aspartic acid and phenylalanine). It sweetens 'diet' and 'sugar-free' products without the calories of sugar.

E951

Titanium dioxide is a bright-white mineral pigment used to make foods and coatings look whiter and more opaque. As a food additive (E171) it is decorative — it adds whiteness, not nutrition or flavor.

E171

Sodium benzoate is a widely used preservative that stops the growth of mold, yeast, and bacteria in acidic foods and drinks. It extends shelf life and is one of the most common preservatives in beverages.

E211

BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) is a synthetic antioxidant preservative that keeps fats and oils from going rancid, protecting flavor and extending shelf life in processed and packaged foods.

E320

BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) is a synthetic antioxidant preservative used alongside or instead of BHA to stop fats and oils from oxidizing, keeping cereals, snacks, and packaged foods fresh longer.

E321

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a highly refined liquid sweetener made from corn starch, with roughly the same fructose-to-glucose balance as table sugar. It is used because it is cheap, sweet, and easy to blend into drinks and foods.

MSG (monosodium glutamate) is a flavor enhancer that intensifies savory, umami taste. Its glutamate is the same amino acid found naturally in tomatoes, cheese, and mushrooms — MSG is just the purified, crystallized form.

E621

Sodium nitrite is a curing agent used to preserve meats, keep their pink color, and prevent botulism. It is what gives bacon, ham, and hot dogs their characteristic color and cured flavor.

E250