Ultra-Processed Food Checker
(formerly Additive Risk Meter)
How processed is your food? Paste the ingredient list below to find out.
My Sensitivities (Optional):
What is This Tool?
The Ultra-Processed Food Checker (formerly the Additive Risk Meter) is a free tool designed to help you quickly understand what's *really* in your food. Many common health issues in the U.S., like chronic inflammation, gut problems, and metabolic disorders, are linked to high consumption of ultra-processed foods.
These foods often contain a long list of additives, emulsifiers, artificial colors, and preservatives that can be hard to identify. This tool scans your ingredient list and flags high-risk items, giving you a simple "Risk Score" so you can make more informed choices.
How to Tell if Your Food is Ultra-Processed
"Ultra-processed" means the food contains ingredients you wouldn't find in a home kitchen. Besides using this tool, here are two quick clues:
- The 5-Ingredient Rule: While not perfect, many experts suggest that if a packaged food has more than 5 ingredients, it's likely processed.
- Unpronounceable Ingredients: If the list contains chemicals like Polysorbate 80, Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT), or various artificial colors, it is a clear sign of an ultra-processed product.
Common Inflammatory Food Additives to Avoid
While this tool checks for many, here are some of the most-searched-for additives linked to potential inflammation and health concerns in the US:
Understanding the Score
- Low Risk: Indicates few to no recognized high-risk additives. These foods are typically minimally processed, like whole foods or simple packaged goods.
- Moderate Risk: This food likely contains several processed ingredients, thickeners, emulsifiers (like gums, lecithins), or "natural flavors" that are common in processed foods but not always high-risk.
- High Risk: This score is triggered by known high-risk additives like artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 5), certain preservatives (BHT, Sodium Nitrite), or sweeteners (Aspartame, High Fructose Corn Syrup). A long ingredient list also contributes to a high score, as this is a key sign of an "ultra-processed" food.