Free Guides

These two PDF guides are being prepared for ClearIngredient readers. Enter your details to be notified when each one is ready to download.

Close-up of an open reference book with a magnifying glass, representing research and discovery.
Coming soon PDF guide

The Label Decoder

A field guide to the ingredient list

A concise, printable reference that explains the most common food additives, what each one does, and what the current evidence says about it. Written for the grocery aisle, not the laboratory.

What's inside

  • The 40 most common additives you will actually encounter
  • What each additive does and why manufacturers use it
  • The relevant FDA and EFSA approval status
  • What the current research says, including any ongoing debates

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Coming soon PDF guide

Six Label Myths

What the fine print actually means

Six of the most persistent misconceptions label readers carry — "natural" means safe, artificial means dangerous, the shorter the ingredient list the better, and more. Each myth traced to where it came from and what the evidence actually shows.

What's inside

  • The truth about "natural" vs. "artificial" labeling
  • Why ingredient list length is not a health signal
  • "No preservatives added" and what that does and doesn't mean
  • How front-of-pack health claims are regulated (and gamed)

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What's Next

More guides in development

The Label Decoder and Six Label Myths are the first two in a planned series of reference guides for label readers. Future guides will cover specific categories in depth: sweeteners, emulsifiers, color additives, and a guide to understanding safety studies themselves.

Use the contact page to suggest a topic or let us know which ingredient category you'd most like to see covered first.

Planned topics

  • The Sweetener Decoder — a deep dive on all common sugar substitutes
  • How to Read a Safety Study — for the non-scientist label reader
  • Emulsifiers and Gut Research — what the emerging science shows
  • Color Additives — regulatory history and current status
Suggest a topic

Questions about a specific ingredient?

Browse the full ingredient library or send us a message — ingredient requests genuinely shape what gets covered next.

Browse Ingredients

The Label Decoder PDF and Six Label Myths guide — free on the Resources page.