Ingredient
Decoder

Simpler swaps.Your weekly list.

Choose your aisles, get the label points to check, then tick your list off in the shop.

Which aisles do you shop?

Free, no sign-up. Print it as a pocket card or share the link.

What to look for on the label, by aisle

Three checks for every aisle: how long the list is, which sugar names appear, and which additive families show up.

Breakfast

Cereal, porridge, yogurt, spreads and bars.

Shorter ingredient lists

  • Plain oats, muesli and plain yogurt often have a list of one to five items. Flavoured versions are longer.
  • Count the ingredients on two similar boxes or pots and note the gap.
  • Whole foods you could buy separately (oats, nuts, fruit) are easy to spot in a list.

Sugar names to watch

  • Syrups: glucose, rice, golden, maple, agave.
  • Words ending in -ose (dextrose, maltose) and fruit juice concentrate.
  • Cereals and granolas can list two or three sugars, which spreads them down the list.

Additive families

  • Flavourings and colours in flavoured yogurts and some cereals.
  • Thickeners (pectin, guar gum, modified starch) in fruit pots.
  • Emulsifiers (lecithin, E471) and humectants (glycerol) in bars.

Snacks

Crisps, bars, nuts, popcorn and crackers.

Shorter ingredient lists

  • Plain nuts, popcorn kernels, fruit and cheese are one- to three-item foods.
  • For packaged snacks, count the ingredients and compare brands of the same snack.
  • Check the list, not the front of the pack: claims like “high protein” sit outside it.

Sugar names to watch

  • Maltodextrin, dextrose and glucose syrup in bars and flavoured nuts.
  • Fruit paste and fruit juice concentrate in fruit snacks.
  • A sweet coating on popcorn or nuts usually means a syrup or sugar.

Additive families

  • Flavour enhancers (E621, yeast extract) and flavourings on crisps.
  • Emulsifiers (E471, lecithin) in bars and crackers.
  • Colours (E1xx numbers) and anti-caking agents (silicon dioxide).

Sauces

Pasta sauce, ketchup, dressings, stir-fry and mayonnaise.

Shorter ingredient lists

  • Tomatoes, onion, herbs, oil and salt cover many pasta sauces; longer lists add more.
  • Passata and tinned tomatoes often list only tomatoes (and sometimes salt).
  • Dressings can be as short as oil, vinegar, mustard and salt.

Sugar names to watch

  • Sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, dextrose and fruit juice concentrate.
  • Ketchup and sweet sauces often list sugar near the top.
  • Compare sugars per 100 g, because pack sizes and servings vary.

Additive families

  • Thickeners (xanthan gum, modified starch).
  • Preservatives (potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate) and acidity regulators (citric acid).
  • Colours (caramel colour) and flavour enhancers (E621, yeast extract).

Bread

Sliced loaves, bakery bread, wraps and rolls.

Shorter ingredient lists

  • Basic bread is flour, water, yeast and salt. Some packs add more for softness and shelf life.
  • Read the list rather than the name: “sourdough style” and “artisan” describe marketing, not ingredients.
  • Whole grain flour listed first means it is the largest ingredient by weight.

Sugar names to watch

  • Sugar, dextrose, glucose syrup, honey and malt extract.
  • Sweet breads, rolls and some sliced loaves list one or more sugars.
  • Check the sugars line per 100 g when two loaves look alike.

Additive families

  • Emulsifiers (E471, E472e, E481) that keep a soft crumb.
  • Preservatives (calcium propionate, E282).
  • Flour treatment agents (ascorbic acid, E300) and soy flour.

Drinks

Water, juice, soft drinks, milk and plant drinks.

Shorter ingredient lists

  • Water, milk, tea, coffee and fruit juice have one-line lists. Flavoured drinks add more.
  • Plant drinks differ a lot from brand to brand, so compare two or three lists.
  • “Juice drink” and “fruit squash” are different products from “100% juice”: read the list.

Sugar names to watch

  • Sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, high-fructose corn syrup and fruit juice concentrate.
  • Agave syrup and honey also count as sugars on a list.
  • Compare sugars per 100 ml, because bottle sizes vary.

Additive families

  • Sweeteners (sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame K) in “sugar-free” drinks.
  • Acids (citric, phosphoric) and preservatives (sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate).
  • Colours (caramel colour, E150) and flavourings.
Build my swaps list

Pick your aisles and get this as a tickable list.

How the list works

  1. Choose. Tick the aisles you shop for. Each one brings its label points and a handful of swap lines.
  2. Edit. Remove swaps you do not want and add your own items, such as oat milk or washing-up liquid.
  3. Tick. Tick items as they go in the basket. Your ticks stay on this device between visits.
  4. Take it with you. Print the pocket card or copy the link to send the list to someone else.

Want to see which families are hiding in a label you already have? Paste it into the additive scanner, or read the snack label checklist.

Frequently asked questions

What does a shorter ingredient list tell me?

It tells you there are fewer things to check. Length alone is not a rating: a short list can still include sugar, and a long list can include familiar ingredients such as spices or vitamins.

Why are sugar names on the checklist?

Sugar can be listed under many names, such as glucose syrup, dextrose or fruit juice concentrate. Ingredients are listed by weight, so several sugars can each sit lower in the list than one big pile would.

What are additive families?

Additives are ingredients added for a job such as texture, colour, taste or shelf life. Grouping them into families (emulsifiers, thickeners, sweeteners, colours, preservatives) makes a long list quicker to read. The additive scanner highlights these families in any label you paste.

Are the swap lines a ranking of foods?

No. They are starting points for comparing labels: shorter lists, fewer sugar names, fewer additive families. Your own needs, tastes and budget decide what goes in the basket.

Is my list saved or shared?

The list is kept in this browser on your device, and the items you type are not sent to a server. The share link holds the list in the address itself, so anyone who has the link can open it and edit their own copy.

How do I print the pocket card?

Choose A4 or Letter, press Print my pocket card, and pick landscape with no margins in the print window. Fold the sheet in half along the dashed line. Long lists continue on a second sheet.

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