2026 Update

    Banned Ingredients & Healthier Alternatives

    Dozens of food additives are being banned or restricted worldwide. Know what's in your food, understand the health risks, and discover clean swaps for every ingredient.

    Banned & Restricted Ingredients

    Tap any ingredient to see affected products, health risks, and clean alternatives.

    Recipe Ingredient Swaps

    Quick swaps to remove banned or harmful ingredients from your cooking.

    Food colouring (artificial)

    Beetroot powder or turmeric

    Zero chemical additives, adds micronutrients

    Bromated flour

    Organic unbromated flour

    No potassium bromate, same baking results

    Margarine with BHT

    Grass-fed butter or cold-pressed coconut oil

    No synthetic preservatives, better fatty acid profile

    Processed white bread

    Sourdough or sprouted grain bread

    No ADA or dough conditioners, better glycemic response

    Coloured sweets/candy

    Dark chocolate or dried fruit

    No synthetic dyes, rich in antioxidants

    Bright-coloured sports drinks

    Coconut water + pinch of salt + lemon

    No BVO or dyes, natural electrolytes

    Flavoured coffee creamer

    Oat milk + vanilla extract

    No titanium dioxide, lower processed sugar

    Packaged tortillas

    Homemade or preservative-free tortillas

    No propylparaben, fresher taste

    Frosted cereal

    Overnight oats with berries

    No Red 3 or BHT, high fibre

    Maraschino cherries

    Fresh cherries or freeze-dried cherries

    No Red 3, vitamin C preserved

    Packet cake mix

    From-scratch baking with real ingredients

    No ADA, BHT, or artificial dyes

    Cheap hot dog buns

    Brioche rolls or homemade buns

    No ADA or potassium bromate

    Processed cheese slices

    Real aged cheddar or mozzarella

    No titanium dioxide or emulsifiers

    Boxed mac and cheese

    Homemade mac with real cheese + turmeric for colour

    No Yellow 5/6, real nutrition

    Store-bought frosting

    Cream cheese + powdered sugar + beetroot for pink

    No Red 3 or titanium dioxide

    Scan Before You Buy

    Use our barcode scanner in the Health Planner to instantly check NOVA scores, Nutri-Scores, and flag banned additives in any product.

    Open Health Planner →