The Nutrition Clarity Ingredient Index
Understand what's in your food — and why it's there.
Food ingredient names can be unfamiliar, and knowing what an ingredient does isn't always obvious from the package. The Nutrition Clarity Ingredient Index is an educational resource designed to help you explore ingredients found in everyday foods, understand why they're used, and build greater confidence reading ingredient lists.
Start With Ingredient Literacy
Understanding individual ingredients is only one part of understanding a food package. These resources can help you learn how ingredient lists work and why different ingredients are used in foods.
Understanding Ingredient Lists
Learn how ingredient lists are organized, what information they provide, and how to approach unfamiliar or lengthy lists.
Understanding Food Ingredients
Explore why ingredients are used in foods and the different roles they can play in flavor, texture, color, stability, preservation, nutrition, and more.
Explore Individual Ingredients
Looking at an unfamiliar ingredient on a food label? Explore educational ingredient pages to learn what an ingredient is, why it may be used in food, and where you might encounter it.
Maltodextrin
Learn what maltodextrin is and why it may appear in packaged foods.
Soy Lecithin
Learn about soy lecithin and the functions it can serve in food products.
Citric Acid
Learn about citric acid and the roles it can serve in foods and beverages.
Explore More With the Ingredient Index
Want to explore beyond the individual ingredient resources above?
The full Nutrition Clarity Ingredient Index brings ingredient information together in one searchable resource, making it easier to look up ingredients you encounter in everyday foods and learn more about what they are and why they're used.
How It Works
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See an ingredient on a food label that you want to understand.
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Use the searchable Ingredient Index to find information about that ingredient.
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Review the ingredient category, why it is commonly used, and helpful context.
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Use what you learn to better understand the foods you choose for yourself and your household.
Access the Nutrition Clarity Ingredient Index
Get full access to the Ingredient Index and continue building your food literacy with a resource designed for everyday grocery decisions.
Supporting Food Literacy Education
Ingredient Index membership helps support Nutrition Clarity Foundation's educational resources and community food literacy programming.