Should You Avoid Ingredients You Can’t Pronounce?

We’ve all been there: standing in the grocery store aisle, squinting at a label and stumbling over a word like “butylated hydroxytoluene.” It’s tempting to toss the product back on the shelf and mutter something about avoiding foods with “scary” ingredients. After all, something you can’t pronounce can’t possibly be good for you, right? Well, not so fast. Before we banish these tongue-twisting labels, it’s time to dig a little deeper into this common nutrition myth. Spoiler alert: avoiding foods solely because their ingredients are hard to pronounce is unnecessary. Here’s why.

Common Misconceptions

The idea that we should avoid certain foods just because their names sound like they belong in a chemistry textbook gained a lot of traction in recent years. Proponents of this idea often frame it as common sense, saying things like “If you can’t say it, don’t eat it.” “But the idea that ‘unpronounceable equals unhealthy’ can be misleading and often fuels unnecessary fear around food,” shared Samantha DeVito, M.S., RD.

“Many nutrients have complex names because of their scientific origins,” shared Jen Hernandez RDN, CSR, LDN. Take cholecalciferol, for example. “It’s a form of vitamin D3, and although it may be hard to pronounce, it plays a critical role in our health,” Hernandez explained. “In fact, about a quarter of the U.S. population is deficient in it and you’ll often find it added to foods like milk, cereal and juice to help support adequate intake,” Hernandez added.

Or how about tocopherol? That’s vitamin E, which helps protect your cells from damage. And then there’s riboflavin. It might sound like a complex chemical, but it’s simply vitamin B2, a vital nutrient that helps our body convert food into energy and supports healthy skin and eyes. These technical names are often the scientific or chemical designations, and they’re not inherently harmful.

The Role of Science in Your Snack

Many processed foods contain additives or preservatives to ensure shelf stability, flavor or texture. From the citric acid in your applesauce that acts as a preservative to keep your food fresh longer to the xanthan gum in your salad dressing that creates a smooth consistency, these ingredients undergo rigorous testing for safety before they’re approved for use in food. Yes, the food industry isn’t perfect (spoiler alert #2), but assuming that a long ingredient name equals danger is dismissing decades of food science.

Does this mean every single chemical-sounding ingredient in your food is harmless? Not necessarily.  But it’s key to look at each ingredient in context rather than assume all unfamiliar ingredients belong in the trash can. 

What About “Natural” Additives?

Seeing the word “natural” may sound like a food or ingredient is safer. However, just because something’s labeled as natural doesn’t make it automatically better for your health. After all, arsenic and cyanide are natural too, and we would never recommend someone eat those! On the flip side, just because an ingredient is synthetic doesn’t mean it’s bad. Synthetic vitamins, for example, can be identical to their natural counterparts and just as effective.

When it comes to natural versus synthetic additives, a good rule of thumb is to focus more on the overall nutritional value of the product rather than zeroing in on every additive on the ingredient list. Balance is everything.

What to Think About Instead

Instead of asking, “Can I pronounce this ingredient?” ask, “What is the role of this ingredient, and is it safe?” When you see a funky name on a label, avoiding jumping to conclusions and instead doing your homework can reveal a surprising amount of information. Many scary-sounding additives serve important, benign purposes, like preserving freshness, enhancing flavor or improving texture.

Rather than letting pronunciation scare you, get curious. What’s the difference between potassium sorbate and salt? Between maltodextrin and sugar? Often, you’ll discover that these ingredients aren’t as mysterious or intimidating as they seem.

Other Tips for Making Healthy Food Choices

At the end of the day, there’s nothing wrong with being mindful of what you eat; in fact, that’s a good thing. But if you’re truly looking to make healthier food choices, there’s a better strategy than fixating on ingredient names. “Instead of stressing over every label, focus on the overall quality of your diet—aim for a foundation of mostly whole foods, while including packaged or processed items in moderation if they support your lifestyle and make eating well more realistic,” per DeVito. 

Some tips to keep in mind include:

• Eat a Variety of Foods. Ensuring you get a range of nutrients is more important than hyper-focusing on what you can’t pronounce.
• Pay Attention to Nutritional Content. Check those labels for added sugars, sodium and saturated fats instead of focusing solely on the ingredient list.
• Cook More at Home. When you cook from scratch, you’ll develop a better understanding of what goes into your meals, and you may end up gravitating toward simpler, whole ingredients naturally.
• Be Mindful of Portion Sizes. Even the most “natural” food can lead to health issues if eaten in excess.

“I rather you steer your attention toward the nutrition panel to see whether the product you’re looking at has nutritional benefits like protein and fiber, or vitamins and minerals,” shared Kacie Barnes, M.C.N., RDN.

The Bottom Line

Avoiding foods just because an ingredient name twists your tongue isn’t the best approach. It’s easy to get caught up in food trends or fear-mongering, but the truth is, science is complex, and food safety regulations exist to protect us. By understanding what’s in your food and why, you can make informed choices without falling into the trap of food myths. “If you’re unsure about a food ingredient, it’s best to talk with a trusted nutrition professional who can help you understand how it may (or may not) affect your health,” advised Hernandez.

Does this mean you should ditch your efforts to eat fresh, whole foods? Not at all. “In general, the more a food resembles its natural form, the better… but there’s no need to live in fear of every long word on a label,” explained Carrie Gabriel, M.S., RDN.

Take the pressure off yourself to eliminate every “unpronounceable” ingredient. The fancier-sounding ones might just surprise you with their usefulness and their harmlessness. Keep balance, variety and curiosity at the forefront of your diet, and you’ll be miles ahead in maintaining a healthy, happy approach to eating.