Why it Pays to Read the Label – Don’t Buy Anything With These Ingredients
Yesterday, Lara showed me an Instagram video clip made by a young USA foodie.
He apparently loves British food and came over to taste our famous fayre (fish & chips, I think, mainly!)
Although he ate loads of ‘rubbish’ here, he claims to have lost weight. Which came as a big surprise to him, bearing in mind all the fatty stodge he shoved in his face.
So he started wondering…
How could battered cod, chips and curry sauce help him shed pounds, while his own diet in the States kept him packing the weight on?
That got him digging into what actually goes into US foodstuffs – and he was shocked by the difference between what’s allowed into food over there, and what’s allowed here.
He believes it’s the additives in the food that are the fundamental problem in the American diet, more so than the food itself.
I thought I’d have a look into it myself – and here are a few of the things I found…
7 Troubling USA Ingredients
Things you get in common foods, Stateside, which are restricted or banned here include the following:
• Potassium Bromate – This is used in the US to make bread rise faster but banned in the UK because it’s classified as a possible human carcinogen.
• Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) – This emulsifier is used in American citrus drinks and sports beverages. It’s linked to neurological damage and has been banned in the UK since the 1970s.
• Azodicarbonamide – Used in breads and buns to give them that soft, squishy texture.
• Artificial Dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6) – These are linked to hyperactivity in children and must carry a warning label in the UK.
• Titanium Dioxide – Used as a whitening agent in chewing gum, sweets and toothpaste. It’s been banned in the EU since 2022 over concerns it may damage DNA.
• Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) – Used to make cows produce more milk. Banned here because of concerns over animal welfare and a possible link to cancer.
• Ractopamine – A drug used to bulk up pigs and cattle to make more meat. Banned in the UK and most of the world.
Most significantly, it’s really the LEVELS of sugar, salt, additives and bad fats inside the USA products that are making people overeat.
The guidelines are much more lax across the pond.
Interestingly, some brands sell very different versions of the same product in different countries.
For example, a packet of crisps in Britain, might have fewer additives and dyes than the US counterpart, with less salt and sugar.
So why the disparity?
Well, it’s not because British companies are more virtuous. It’s because our laws (currently) don’t let the food industry get away with it.
(And believe me, if they CAN, then they WILL.)
In the EU and UK, if there’s a suspicion that an additive is harmful, it’s often banned or at least heavily regulated.
In the US, it’s the other way round…
Unless it’s proven harmful beyond doubt, it’s given the green light.
So despite the glut of ultra-processed food in the UK, we’re still better off than many when it comes to what’s allowed in our food.
But I do worry about the future…
The Nutritional Health Threat from Trump’s Trade Deals
Post-Brexit, we’re no longer protected by the EU’s tougher food regulations.
And after the recent trade deals by Donald Trump, there’s a risk we’ll start importing more American UPFs, with their higher levels of problematic additives, along with lower-welfare meat products riddled with hormones.
We’ve all heard of ‘chlorinated chicken’ but that’s only the start of it!
And once this stuff is on the shelves… well, it’s here to stay.
Which is why I believe we all need to be even more careful about what we eat.
It always pays to read the label. Because even despite current regulations, there’s still plenty of rubbish in British supermarket food products.
In particular, look out for these –
• Glucose-Fructose Syrup (also known as High Fructose Corn Syrup). It spikes blood sugar, encourages fat storage, and disrupts appetite regulation.
• Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated Oils – These contain trans fats, which are linked to heart disease, inflammation, and poor cholesterol balance.
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG / E621) – A flavour enhancer found in crisps, soups, and instant noodles.
• Artificial Sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame K, Sucralose). These have been linked to gut microbiome disruption, metabolic changes, and increased cravings.
• Sodium Nitrite – Found in processed meats like bacon, ham, and sausages. These can form carcinogenic compounds (nitrosamines) during cooking.
• Carrageenan (E407) – A thickener used in non-dairy milks, processed meats, and some desserts. It has been linked to gut inflammation and digestive issues in some people.
• Palm Oil – Highly processed palm oil is stripped of nutrients and often high in unhealthy saturated fats.
• Flavourings – Note that the word “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean healthy.
• Modified Starch / Maltodextrin. This has a high glycaemic index, which means that it can spike blood sugar.
Check the ingredients carefully so that you can limit your intake of these things….
So, never assume a product is safe just because it’s sitting in a shop with health claims on the packet!
