Spices and seasonings should be one of the simplest things in your kitchen. A pinch of cumin. A sprinkle of paprika. A dash of seasoning to bring a meal to life. But if you’ve ever flipped over a jar of supermarket seasoning and thought, “Why are there so many ingredients in this?” - you’re asking exactly the right question.
Behind many brightly labelled spice blends is a long list of additives that have very little to do with real flavour, nourishment, or how food has been cooked for generations. And once you know what to look for, it becomes surprisingly easy to spot which brands are doing things the honest way… and which ones are taking shortcuts.
So, we’re here to lift the lid (literally) on what’s actually going on inside many spices and seasonings you find at the supermarket, why these ingredients are used, and how to choose better, cleaner options for your pantry.
🌶️ Why Are Additives Used in Spices?
In short: it’s cheaper.
Using real herbs, spices, garlic, onion, citrus peel and natural aromatics costs more than using additives that artificially boost flavour, extend shelf life, or improve texture.
Manufacturers often rely on these ingredients to:
- Make products taste stronger with fewer real spices
- Standardise flavour from batch to batch
- Increase shelf life
- Lower production costs and maximise profit
At Spray-Free Farmacy, we’re big believers in brands that don’t cut corners to make a buck, especially when it comes to food that’s meant to nourish your body.
🚩 Common Additives to Watch Out For
Here are some of the most common ingredients found in highly processed spice blends and seasonings:
Added sugars
Often included in large amounts to balance flavour or increase “palatability,” even when they’re completely unnecessary.
MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)
Also listed as Flavour Enhancer 621. It intensifies savoury flavour without using real ingredients.
Vegetable oils (like canola oil)
Used to carry flavour or prevent clumping in many seasonings. These oils are highly refined and more unstable, meaning they’re prone to oxidation when exposed to heat, light, and long storage times, exactly the conditions spices often sit in. Oxidised fats can create compounds that the body recognises as stressors, potentially adding to the inflammatory load.
Sulphur Dioxide
A preservative that is sometimes used in dried ingredients like curry powders. This one is worth noting because some people, particularly asthmatics, may react to it.
Citric Acid (synthetic)
Citric acid naturally occurs in citrus fruits, but the type used in most packaged foods is manufactured, not squeezed from lemons. It’s typically produced through a fermentation process using a mould called Aspergillus niger, then purified and added to foods as a preservative or flavour enhancer.
Some people report adverse reactions when consuming this chemical frequently, including digestive discomfort, inflammation, or respiratory symptoms.
👀 The Problem With “Flavour”
If you see the word “flavour” listed on an ingredient panel, that’s a red flag worth paying attention to.
Manufacturers are not required to specify what “flavour” actually means.
In Australia and New Zealand, FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) does not clearly distinguish between artificial and natural flavours in legislation. This means:
- “Natural flavour” and “artificial flavour” can be used interchangeably
- “Natural flavour” can be used to fool people into thinking the product is healthier than it is.
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Consumers are left guessing what they’re actually eating
FSANZ permits a long list of substances to be used in flavourings, including:
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Benzyl alcohol
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Ethanol
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Ethyl acetate
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Glycerol diacetate
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Glyceryl monoacetate
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Isopropyl alcohol
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Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
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Triethyl citrate
These may be legal, but that doesn’t mean they belong in your spice rack.
🧠 What About Gut Health?
Current research suggests there’s limited direct evidence that approved artificial food additives cause gut damage in humans.
However, as gut disorders like IBS, Crohn’s disease, and gut dysbiosis continue to rise alongside increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, many researchers are asking important questions.
Some early animal studies suggest:
- Artificial sweeteners may reduce gut bacteria diversity
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Changes to the gut microbiome may contribute to digestive discomfort
While we don’t have definitive human studies yet, the takeaway is simple: less processed food generally means fewer unknowns for your gut.
🧂 Artificial Sweeteners in Seasonings
Yes, even savoury seasonings can contain artificial sweeteners.
Also known as non-nutritive sweeteners, these add sweetness without calories and include:
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Aspartame
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Acesulfame K
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Saccharin
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Sucralose
Many artificial sweeteners travel through your digestive tract largely undigested, and research suggests they may influence the balance of bacteria in your gut, including reducing some beneficial strains and altering gut microbial diversity. Changes like these are thought to potentially affect metabolic and gut health, though human studies are still emerging and results aren’t yet definitive.
In other words, while they don’t provide calories or “food” in the traditional sense, artificial sweeteners can interact with your body’s biology, especially your gut microbiome, in ways scientists are still trying to fully understand. That’s one more reason they’re unnecessary in real, whole food seasoning. And honestly, is it really worth the risk when real ingredients taste so much better anyway?
🌿 So… What Should Spices Contain?
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Herbs
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Spices
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Salt
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Maybe garlic or onion
That’s it.
When spices are made from real ingredients, they don’t need flavour enhancers, sugars, preservatives, or vague “flavour” listings.
⭐ Our Go-To Spice Brands
If you want to keep things simple and clean, these are some of our favourite brands that do it right:
These brands focus on real ingredients, transparency, and flavour that actually comes from food.
🌱 What to Take From All of This
Your spice rack might seem insignificant… what’s a sprinkle of taco seasoning here and there? But it’s a powerful place to make better food choices. When you’re seasoning meals every single day, those ingredients add up.
Choosing spices without unnecessary additives means:
- Cleaner meals
- Better flavour
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Fewer ultra-processed ingredients are sneaking into your diet
Real food doesn’t need chemicals to enhance it. It just needs good ingredients.
📚 References & Further Reading
FSANZ – Permitted flavouring substances
Food Standards Australia New Zealand
Healthline – What Is Citric Acid and Is It Bad for You?
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/citric-acid
Healthline – Artificial Sweeteners and Gut Bacteria
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/artificial-sweeteners-and-gut-bacteria
National Institutes of Health – Artificial Sweeteners and the Gut Microbiome
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6313445/
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – Processed Foods and Gut Health
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/processed-foods/
U.S. Food & Drug Administration – Food Additives & GRAS Substances
https://www.fda.gov/food/food-ingredients-packaging/food-additives
GoodnessMe – Hidden Nasties in Supermarket Curry Sauces and Powders https://goodnessme.com.au/articles/hidden-nasties-supermarket-curry-sauces-and-powders
GoodnessMe – How to Find the Healthiest Natural Spices in Australia https://goodnessme.com.au/articles/how-to-find-the-healthiest-natural-spices-in-australia
