CleanLabel°
Field Guide

Dirty Dozen

12 label entries that deserve a slower second read

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This is not a panic list. It is a pause list. When one of these appears, check frequency, serving size, and whether the product is replacing a simpler food you would otherwise eat.

Avoid Strong reason to choose another product. Watch Use context, dose, and frequency. Context Not automatically bad, but worth noticing.
01Watch

Maltodextrin

A fast-digesting starch that can add bulk, sweetness support, or texture without adding much nourishment.

Spot it in: protein powders, flavoured drink mixes, bars.
02Avoid

Sucralose

An intense artificial sweetener often used to make low-sugar products taste dessert-like.

Spot it in: whey powders, diet drinks, yogurts, bars.
03Watch

Acesulfame-K

A high-intensity sweetener commonly paired with sucralose to round out sweetness and mask bitterness.

Spot it as: Ace-K, acesulfame potassium, E950.
04Watch

Artificial Flavours

A broad label entry that tells you flavour engineering is doing meaningful work in the product.

Spot it in: shakes, bars, cereals, packaged snacks.
05Avoid

Titanium Dioxide

A whitening pigment used for visual brightness rather than nutrition, especially in powders and coatings.

Spot it as: titanium dioxide, CI 77891, E171.
06Avoid

Proprietary Blends

A grouped formula can hide exact amounts, making expensive actives look more meaningful than they are.

Spot it in: pre-workouts, greens powders, fat burners.
07Watch

Carrageenan

A seaweed-derived thickener that gives ready-to-drink products a creamy body and shelf-stable texture.

Spot it in: protein shakes, creamers, plant milks.
08Context

Soy Lecithin

An emulsifier that helps powders mix and chocolates hold texture; relevant if soy sensitivity matters to you.

Spot it in: whey powders, chocolate coatings, bars.
09Avoid

Artificial Colours

Colour additives create visual appeal without improving the food. Bright products deserve extra skepticism.

Spot it as: Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, tartrazine.
10Avoid

Hydrogenated Oils

Processed fats used for shelf life and texture. They are a strong signal to compare alternatives.

Spot it in: bars, wafers, cream fillings, coatings.
11Context

Silicon Dioxide

An anti-caking agent that keeps powders free-flowing. Low concern alone, but useful as a processing signal.

Spot it in: powdered supplements, spices, mixes.
12Context

Xanthan Gum

A thickener used in small amounts for body and stability. Dose and personal tolerance matter.

Spot it in: sauces, shakes, gluten-free foods.
Buying rule

If a product has three or more entries from this sheet, compare it with a simpler alternative before buying. The goal is not perfection. It is fewer surprises.