The 'Goo' Index

Check this list to see if the foods you are buying contain Goo!

👉 Click a Category, or use CTRL-F or CMD-F to search for a word on this page.

Note: this list is a work in progress. Please check back to see updates!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

Categories

• Acidulants & pH Adjusters

• Anti-Caking & Flow Agents

• Artificial & Natural Food Dyes

• Chemical Preservatives & Antimicrobials

• Emulsifiers

• Flavor Enhancers & Artificial Flavors

• Fortified Nutrients & Synthetic Vitamins

• Gums & Binders

• Oils & Fats

• Processed Carbohydrates

• Stabilizers, Thickeners & Texture Modifiers

• Sweeteners (‘Natural’ but Highly Processed Sugars)

• Sweeteners (Sugars, Sugar Alcohols & Artificial Substitutes)

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⛔ Acidulants & pH Adjusters

Compounds that control acidity or alkalinity in food to enhance flavor, texture, and preservation.

• Acetic acid

• Calcium lactate

• Citric acid (when synthetic)

• Fumaric acid

• Lactic acid (when synthetic)

• Malic acid

• Phosphoric acid

• Potassium Chloride

• Sodium acid pyrophosphate

• Tartaric acid

⛔ Anti-Caking & Flow Agents

Powdered additives that prevent clumping in dry foods and help maintain a free-flowing texture.

• Calcium silicate

• Magnesium stearate

• Powdered Cellulose

• Silicon dioxide

• Sodium ferrocyanide

• Tricalcium phosphate

⛔ Artificial & Natural Food Dyes

Synthetic and plant-derived colorants used to enhance or restore the appearance of processed foods.

• Annatto extract

• Blue 1

• Blue 2

• Caramel coloring

• Green 3

• Red 3 (Erythrosine) ❌BANNED

• Red 40 (Allura Red)

• Titanium dioxide

• Yellow 5 (Tartrazine)

• Yellow 6

⛔ Chemical Preservatives & Antimicrobials

Additives that prevent spoilage, inhibit bacterial growth, and extend the shelf life of packaged foods.

• Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)

• Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)

• Calcium propionate

• Potassium sorbate

• Sodium benzoate

• Sodium nitrate (NaNO₃)

• Sodium nitrite (NaNO₂)

• Sulfur dioxide

• Tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)

⛔ Emulsifiers

Substances that help blend ingredients like oil and water, improving texture and extending shelf life.

• Calcium stearoyl lactylate

• DATEM (diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglycerides)

• Mono- and diglycerides

• Polysorbate 60

• Polysorbate 80

• Propylene glycol esters

• Sodium stearoyl lactylate

• Soy lecithin

• Sunflower lecithin

⛔ Flavor Enhancers & Artificial Flavors

Additives used to intensify taste, often masking poor-quality ingredients or imitating natural flavors.

• Artificial butter flavor

• Artificial smoke flavor

• Autolyzed yeast extract

• Disodium guanylate

• Disodium inosinate

• Hydrolyzed vegetable protein

• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

• “Natural flavors” (e.g.: natural smoke flavor)

• Vanillin

⛔ Fortified Nutrients & Synthetic Vitamins

Man-made vitamins and minerals added to processed foods to compensate for nutrient loss during manufacturing.

• Ascorbic acid (synthetic vitamin C)

• Calcium carbonate (fortified calcium)

• Cyanocobalamin (synthetic B12)

• DL-alpha-tocopherol (synthetic vitamin E)

• Ferrous sulfate (iron supplement)

• Folic acid (synthetic)

• Niacinamide (synthetic B3)

• Pyridoxine hydrochloride (synthetic B6)

• Retinyl palmitate (synthetic vitamin A)

⛔ Gums & Binders

Plant-derived and synthetic substances used to thicken, gel, or stabilize foods, often replacing natural ingredients for cost efficiency.

• Agar agar

• Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)

• Carrageenan

• Cellulose Gum

• Guar gum

• Gum arabic

• Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC)

• Konjac gum

• Methylcellulose

• Microcrystalline cellulose

• Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose

• Tara gum

• Xanthan gum

⛔ Oils & Fats

Industrially processed fats and oils that enhance flavor, texture, and shelf life, some of which may contribute to inflammation and metabolic issues.

• Canola oil (a GMO version of Rapeseed Oil)

• Corn oil

• Cottonseed oil

• Fully hydrogenated oils

• Interesterified fats

• Palm oil

• Partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats)

• Rapeseed oil

• Soybean oil

⛔ Processed Carbohydrates

These processed carbohydrates share a common trait: they are broken down quickly by the body, which can lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar, followed by crashes.

• Cornstarch

• Dextrins

• High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) ← this appears in other categories, as well

• Isomaltooligosaccharides (IMO)

• Maltodextrin

• Modified Food Starch

• Tapioca Starch

⛔ Stabilizers, Thickeners & Texture Modifiers

Ingredients that improve consistency, mouthfeel, and structure in processed foods, often mimicking natural textures. (Some are repeated from the “Gums & Binders” list above)

• Carrageenan

• Cellulose gum

• Gelatin

• Guar gum

• Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC) ← this appears in other categories, as well

• Locust bean gum

• Methylcellulose

• Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC)

• Modified food starch

• Pectin (when highly processed)

• Propylene glycol alginate

• Xanthan gum

⛔ Sweeteners (Sugars, Sugar Alcohols & Artificial Substitutes)

A wide range of natural, synthetic, and sugar-derived compounds used to add sweetness without necessarily providing nutritional value.

• Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K)

• Advantame

• Alitame

• Arabitol

• Aspartame

• Erythritol

• Isomalt

• Lactitol

• Maltitol

• Mannitol

• Neotame

• Saccharin

• Sorbitol

• Sucralose

• Xylitol

⛔ Sweeteners (Natural but Highly Processed Sugars)

• Agave Syrup

• Barley Malt Syrup

• Beet Sugar

• Blackstrap Molasses

• Brown Rice Syrup

• Coconut Sugar

• Corn Syrup

• Dextrose

• Evaporated Cane Juice

• Fructose (Isolated)

• Galactose

• Glucose Syrup

• Golden Syrup

• High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

• Honey (Commercially Processed)

• Invert Sugar

• Maltose

• Maple Syrup (Commercially Processed)

• Palm Sugar

• Rapadura

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