What Is It?
Citric acid (a.k.a. sodium citrate) comes from the juice of citrus fruits and berries. It’s created by fermenting cane sugar or molasses with the fungus Aspergillus niger. Cooks and food manufacturers use it as a flavor enhancer, antioxidant and to increase the acidity of food, especially when canning. You’ll typically find it in ice cream, sherbet, carbonated beverages, candy and reconstituted instant potatoes — it shows up on a lot of packaged food labels because it’s versatile and cheap.

Is It Safe?
Citric acid was first isolated from lemon juice by a Swedish chemist in the late 1700s, so we’ve been eating it for a while. Experts consider it safe and we have long relied on it to add acidity, which helps preserve food. Some folks may be intolerant to citric acid; if that’s you, reading labels is essential since it’s found naturally in many fruits, veggies and added to so many packaged foods.

What Is It?
“Gum” additives (e.g. xanthan gum or guar gum) are used to thicken foods such as ice cream, frozen pudding, salad dressing, dough and cottage cheese. Xanthan gum is used to mimic the flavor of fatty ingredients that were removed from low-fat products. It can also replace egg yolks as a thickener.

Manufacturers add xanthan gum to candy to prevent sugar crystals from forming and to frozen foods to give them a smooth texture and mouth feel. Sometimes called “corn sugar gum,” it’s a natural carbohydrate that isn’t absorbed by the body. The additive is produced by the fermentation of the bacteria Xanthomonas campestris.

Home cooks can buy packaged xanthan gum to add thickness and viscosity to their breads and other baked goods. Because it’s free of gluten, eggs, dairy and soy, it’s the preferred thickener for those with food allergies who like to bake their own goodies.

Is It Safe?
Xanthan gum is considered safe — though it hasn’t been widely tested. Some folks with sensitivities to corn might be allergic — reported symptoms include headaches, diarrhea and stomach pain. If you think you’re allergic, check out one of the other “gums” on the market instead. Substitutes such as guar gum, gum Arabic, locust bean gum or carrageenan might be a better choice.

Palm vs. Palm Kernel
These days, you’ll find these oils in commercial baked goods (e.g. cakes and cookies), snack foods and some brands of peanut butter. As companies have jumped on the anti-trans fat bandwagon, they’ve started replacing their products’ trans fat (i.e. the partially hydrogenated oils) with different types of palm oil.

Both palm and palm kernel oil come from palm plants (often called “oil palms”) and are categorized as “tropical oils” along with coconut oil. These tropical oils are unique because they have a high percentage of saturated fat, which is unusual for oils that come from plants. More common sources of saturated fat are butter, meat, whole milk and cheese and cream. Too much saturated fat in your diet can increase cholesterol, clog arteries and increase your risk of heart disease.

These two types of oils come from different parts of the palm plant. Palm oil, which is sometimes called “palm fruit oil,” comes from the fruit; palm kernel oil comes from the seed (a.k.a. the kernel).

Is It Better For You?
Palm oil (from the fruit) contains 50% saturated fat and palm kernel oil is 82% — this means plain palm oil is the better choice (of the two). Some believe palm oil has the added benefit of the antioxidants (mostly beta-carotene) that are extracted from the fruit. Researchers are currently trying to determine if the saturated fats in tropical oils affect our cholesterol levels differently. Until we have conclusive findings, you’re better off sticking to heart-healthy mono- and poly-unsaturated fats such as the ones found in olive oil and nuts. These unsaturated fats actually help lower cholesterol.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat intake to 7% or less of total daily calories – if you follow a 2,000 calorie diet, that works out to about 15.5 grams per day. So no matter what kind of saturated fat you choose, your intake should be limited. I don’t know about you but I’d rather eat some cheese and take advantage of the protein and calcium instead of getting an equal amount of saturated from from palm oil in cheesy snack crackers (no protein or calcium there)!

Bottom Line: We should consume all sources of saturated fat in moderation for optimum heart health. These days, most of the foods that contain palm oil (that is, those cakes and snacks) don’t rank very high in the nutrient department. Check ingredient lists on your favorite foods so you know where the saturated fat is coming from.

What Is It?
Food manufacturers often use the additive to help balance the acidity in cheese and to add tartness to frozen desserts and carbonated fruit drinks. For centuries, food makers have used it to turn cabbage into sauerkraut and milk into yogurt. You might also encounter it in beer, jellies and salad dressings. Enjoyed Spanish olives recently? You’ve sampled the preservative powers of lactic acid. The additive is beloved for its food safety role, too; bacteria hate acidic environments and lactic acid keeps bad bacteria from spoiling food.

Is It Safe?
Almost all living organisms produce this acid. Experts give it the green light, and there are no reports about it causing the body harm these many years we’ve used it. If you see lactic acid on the ingredient list, feel free to take a bite or have a sip.

What is it?
Simply put: cane juice = sugar. Many food companies have started using cane juice instead of sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners in their mixes. The only difference between cane juice and regular table sugar is that table sugar undergoes an extra step during processing. Because cane juice is less processed, it retains a bit more riboflavin, a nutrient that’s naturally found in sugar cane. Cane juice comes in a variety of forms, all of which are darker in color than typical white sugar and have a molasses-like flavor. You might see it listed as “evaporated cane juice,” “milled cane sugar” and “dried cane juice” on labels, but it’s all still sugar.

Any Risks?
Like table sugar, cane juice mainly is composed of two sugar units, which combine to create the “double-sugar” called sucrose. Sucrose is quickly and easily digested by the body. Just because you find it in foods marketed as healthier, don’t be duped. Cane juice is safe to consume, but eating too much sweetened, processed food can rack up calories quickly. Studies have linked sugar-heavy diets to contributing to obesity, tooth decay and heart disease. Plus, new reports show that Americans are loading up on sugars more and more these days — the average woman should only get six teaspoons a day but most are getting 22 teaspoons (and teens are consuming even more!).

A little cane juice won’t hurt; like we always say, it’s all about moderation.

What is it?
High maltose corn syrup is a sugar additive that’s used to improve shelf life and prevent bacterial growth. It has slight chemical differences from maltodextrin and corn syrup solids (two other common sweeteners) — though all three are similar. To create high maltose corn syrup, food scientists add enzymes or acids to cornstarch, which creates a maltose-rich syrup. (Not to be even more sciencey, but maltose is the sugar that forms when two glucose units combine.)

Where is it found?
Check the labels on packaged ice cream, candy and even beer next time you go shopping — that’s where high maltose corn syrup usually hangs out.

Any risks?
High maltose corn syrup is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the Food and Drug Administration. Our bodies easily digest and absorb the additive. With high-fructose corn syrup facing a lot of criticism from the public and food advocates, many food companies have turned to high maltose corn syrup instead. Thing is — they have to use more because high maltose syrup is not as sweet.

As always, moderation is key. Occasional consumption of high maltose corn syrup — or its slightly sweeter cousin high-fructose corn syrup — won’t hurt you.  If you’re looking to cut calories to help slim down, eliminating high maltose corn syrup from your diet is a good place to start. It’s commonly found in high sugar and high fat foods anyway.

What is it?
Lecithin is a fatty substance that’s naturally found in animal and plant tissue. Good sources of it include egg yolks and soybeans. If you look at the ingredients, you’ll often find “soybean lecithin” listed on processed foods such as baked goods, margarine, chocolate and ice cream.

When used in foods, lecithin acts as an emulsifier, which means it keeps oil and water from separating out. In candy bars, it helps stabilize the cocoa and cocoa butter. It also makes fluffier cakes by creating a less sticky dough and helps the cake rise. It’s sometimes a “wetting agent” that makes it easier to spread cake mixes in a pan after you add the liquid.

Any risks?
Experts consider lecithin to be safe, and it usually doesn’t exceed more than 1% of a food product’s total weight. You may also come across lecithin supplements, which some folks take for various conditions, including gallstones and high cholesterol (as always, ask your doctor before taking any supplements).

Lecithin contains the nutrient choline. Some companies are marketing choline supplements and claiming it will help increase mental focus, but there’s there’s not enough scientific evidence yet to validate these claims.

First up: sodium benzoate.

What is it?
Sodium benzoate — and its close relatives benzoic acid and potassium benzoate — are preservatives that prevent microorganism (yeast, bacteria, etc.) from growing in acidic foods (think pickles or fruit juice). It’s also common in carbonated drinks such as soda.

Any Risks?
Although the government says that it’s safe for most people to consume, folks who are sensitive to sodium benzoate have reported hives and other allergic-type reactions. Research also points to negative effects on kids who have Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

More alarmingly, sodium benzoate reacts with vitamin C (a.k.a. ascorbic acid) in drinks and forms benzene, a chemical that can lead to leukemia and other cancers. Because of this reaction, the FDA began urging companies in the 1990s to stop combining sodium benzoate and vitamin C; major beverage-makers only began reformulating their drinks after a lawsuit was filed in 2006. Last year, in response to public pressure in Britain, Coca-Cola ditched the preservative from Diet Coke sold there. No plans are in place to remove it from their other sodas in Britain or here in the U.S.

What is it?
“Sodium nitrite” and “sodium nitrate” (you might see either on a food label) are used as preservatives to keep meat that bright red color and help prevent bacterial growth.

Where is it?
Sodium nitrite is commonly added to cured meats, bacon, sausage, ham and smoked fish. The FDA has established guidelines to limit the amount of nitrites that can be used in foods. Many food companies are using less and less of these additives because of their potential dangers.

What is the problem?
Nitrites in food can lead to the formation of chemicals called nitrosamines, which may cause cancer. Studies have linked eating cured meats that contain nitrites to various types of cancer in children, pregnant women and adults. Although studies have yet to prove that eating nitrites in bacon, sausage and ham causes cancer in humans, the Center for Science in the Public Interest urges pregnant women to avoid these foods.

The addition of ascorbic acid (a.k.a. vitamin C), erythorbic acids or alpha-tocopherol (a.k.a. vitamin E) can help prevent the formation of nitrosamine. You might see these things added to nitrite-containing products (read the ingredients label). This has dramatically decreased nitrosamines in foods, which is a good thing!

How do you avoid it?
Check labels on meat and fish products and choose products that are free of nitrates and nitrites. Applegate Farms is one company that has many products — including lunch meats — that are labeled “no nitrates” or “no nitrites added.”

One thing to remember is there’s a difference between the nitrites added to meats and the ones naturally existing in fruits and vegetables. Check out this LA Times article to learn more.