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Food Additives:
Which ones are safe?
And which ones impede athletic performance?

Chip Engelmann

Which food additives are safe and which are harmful? Many times I have read a food label and wondered. Often, I would accept an additive simply because I have seen it all my life. The preservative BHT is an example. Now I find that it may not be good for people. Recently in my search I ran across the following table. Although the book is geared toward athletes, one might assume that the same additives that are unacceptable for athletes (impede their performance) are not good for the average person either. I hope you find it as interesting as I did.

The following table of additives (approved by the FDA) is taken from the book, Dynamic Nutrition for Maximum Performance: A Complete Nutritional Guide for Peak Sports Performance, by Daniel Gastelu and Dr. Fred Hatfield. Avery Publishing, 1997.

Common Additives and Their Status in
Relation to Performance Nutrition

Additive Status
Acetic acid Acceptable
Aerosol sprays other than Nitrogen or carbon dioxide Not Acceptable
Algin Acceptable
Alpha-tocopherol Acceptable
Alpha-tocopherol acetate Acceptable
Ammonium bicarbonate Acceptable
Ammonium compounds Acceptable
Ammonium phosphate Acceptable
Ammonium sulfate Acceptable
Annato Acceptable
Artificial colors Not acceptable
Ascorbic acid Acceptable
Ascorbyl palmitate Acceptable
Aspartame Acceptable but not preferred
--I disagree. Any level of this neurotoxin is too much. –Chip
Aspartame Article
Ask Chip: Aspertame Toxicity Questioned
Benzoyl peroxide Not acceptable
Beta-carotene Acceptable
Biotin Acceptable
Bleached flour Acceptable but not preferred
Brominated vegetable oil Not acceptable
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) Not Acceptable
Butylated hydoxytoluene (BHT) Not Acceptable
Calcium carbonate Acceptable
Calcium chloride Acceptable
Calcium citrate Acceptable
Calcium disodium ethylene- diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) Not Acceptable
Calcium pantothenate Acceptable
Calcium peroxide Not acceptable
Calcium phosphate Acceptable
Calcium propionate Not acceptable
Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate Not acceptable
Calcium sulfate Acceptable
Canthaxanthine Not acceptable
Caramel color Acceptable
Carmine Not acceptable
Carob bean gum Acceptable
Carrageenan Acceptable
Casein Acceptable
Caustic soda Not acceptable
Cellulose Acceptable
Certified colors Not acceptable
Cholecalciferol Acceptable
Choline bitartrate Acceptable
Choline chloride Acceptable
Citrates Acceptable
Citric acid Acceptable
Cobalamin Acceptable
Cochineal Not Acceptable
Coconut oil Acceptable but not preferred
Corn syrup Acceptable
Cream of tartar Acceptable
Cyanocobalamin Acceptable
Cyclamates Not acceptable
Dextrose Acceptable
Diglycerides Acceptable
Dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate Not acceptable
Disodium guanylate Not acceptable
Disodium inosinate Not acceptable
Egg albumin Acceptable
Equal Not acceptable
Ergocalciferol Acceptable
Ethylenediaminetraacetic acid (EDTA) Not Acceptable
Ferrous gluconate Acceptable
Fructose Acceptable
Glucono delta-lactone Acceptable
Guanosine monophosphate (GMP) Not acceptable
Guar gum Acceptable
Gum acacia Acceptable
Gum arabic Acceptable
Gum tragacanth Acceptable
High fructose corn syrup Acceptable
Hydrogen peroxide in foods Not acceptable
Hydrogenated oil Acceptable but not preferred
Hydrolyzed protein Acceptable
Inositol Acceptable
Karaya gum Acceptable
Lactalbumin Acceptable
Lecithin Acceptable
Locust-bean gum Acceptable
Lye Not acceptable
Magnesium carbonate Acceptable
Malic acid Acceptable
Maltodextrin Acceptable
Mannitol Acceptable but not preferred
Methylene chloride Not acceptable
Methylparaben Not acceptable
Modified food starch Not acceptable
Monoglycerides Acceptable
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) Not acceptable
Niacin Acceptable
Niacinamide Acceptable
Nitrites Not acceptable
NutraSweet Not acceptable
Olestra Not acceptable
Oxystearin Not acceptable
Palm kernel oil Acceptable but not preferred
Palm oil Acceptable but not preferred
Papain Acceptable
Partially hydrogenated oil Acceptable but not preferred
Pectin Acceptable
Polysorbates Not acceptable
Potassium acid tartrate Acceptable
Potassium bicarbonate Acceptable
Potassium bisulfite Not acceptable
Potassium bromate Not acceptable
Potassium chloride Acceptable
Potassium iodide Acceptable
Potassium sorbate Not acceptable
Propyl gallate Not acceptable
Propylene glycol Not acceptable
Propylparaben Not acceptable
Pyridoxine hydrochloride Acceptable
Quinine Not acceptable
Riboflavin Acceptable
Saccharin Not acceptable
Simplesse Not acceptable
Sodium aluminum phosphate Not acceptable
Sodium benzoate Not acceptable
Sodium bicarbonate Acceptable
Sodium bisulfite Not acceptable
Sodium caseinate Acceptable
Sodium ferrocyanide Not acceptable
Sodium hydroxide Not acceptable
Sodium nitrate Not acceptable
Sodium nitrite Not acceptable
Sodium pyrophosphate Not acceptable
Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate Not acceptable
Sorbic acid Not acceptable
Sorbitol Acceptable but not preferred
Soy protein isolates Acceptable
Stannous chloride Not acceptable
Sulfites Not acceptable
Sulfur dioxide Not acceptable
Sweet'n Low Not acceptable
Tartaric acid Acceptable
Textured vegetable protein (TVP) Acceptable
Thiamine hydrochloride Acceptable
Tocopherols Acceptable
Turmeric Acceptable
Vanillin Acceptable
Vegetable gums Acceptable
Vitamin A acetate Acceptable
Vitamin A palmitate Acceptable
Whey Acceptable
Xanthan gum Acceptable
Xylitol Acceptable but not preferred
Yellow prussiate of soda Not acceptable
Zinc compounds Acceptable


Copyright 2002 by Chip Engelmann



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