Twenty years.
That is how long I spent riding the dieting merry-go-round.
Low-fat. Low-carb. No-carb. “Clean.” “Cheat day.” Juice cleanse. Meal replacement. You name it.
Restrict. Slip. Feel guilty. Start over.
And all the while, I was standing in grocery aisles staring at ingredient labels like they were written in another language.
BVO?
Red 3?
FD&C Yellow No. 5?
BHA?
BHT?
The list felt endless. The fear felt endless. And then came another headline:
The FDA changed the rules on food additives.
Some ingredients really are being removed or restricted. Others are simply being reviewed. A few are part of voluntary industry changes: not actual bans.
That difference matters.
Because the goal is not to panic over every unfamiliar word. The goal is to build health habits you can keep. One label. One grocery trip. One real-food meal at a time.
What actually changed?
Let’s clear away the noise first.
The FDA has taken formal action on some additives. It has also announced broader plans to reduce certain synthetic food dyes and opened reviews of other chemicals.
Those are not all the same thing.
Here are the changes that matter most in an everyday kitchen.
1. Brominated vegetable oil is no longer allowed in food
In 2024, the FDA revoked authorization for brominated vegetable oil, commonly called BVO.
BVO was used mainly to help flavor oils stay mixed into beverages. You may have seen it in some citrus-flavored soft drinks and sports beverages.
Manufacturers were given time to reformulate. That compliance period ended in 2025.
So, if you are shopping today, BVO should no longer appear in legally sold food products in the United States.
Still check.
Look for:
- Brominated vegetable oil.
- BVO.
If you find it in an old product or imported item, choose another option and report concerns through the FDA’s consumer reporting system.
2. FD&C Red No. 3 is being removed
In January 2025, the FDA revoked authorization for FD&C Red No. 3, also called Red 3 or erythrosine, in foods, dietary supplements, and ingested drugs.
The action followed the Delaney Clause, which does not allow authorization of a color additive shown to cause cancer in humans or animals. The FDA cited evidence that Red 3 caused cancer in male laboratory rats exposed to high levels.
That does not mean that eating one red-colored candy will cause cancer.
It does mean the ingredient’s authorization is being withdrawn under federal law.
The deadlines are:
- Food and dietary supplements: January 15, 2027.
- Ingested drugs: January 18, 2028.
You may already see companies reformulating products ahead of those dates.
Check ingredient lists for:
- Red 3.
- FD&C Red No. 3.
- Erythrosine.
You might find it in older versions of candies, cake decorations, frostings, maraschino cherries, or certain supplements.
When in doubt, choose the version with simpler ingredients. Not perfect. Simpler.
What about Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue 1?
This is where headlines can get confusing.
In April 2025, the FDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a national initiative to phase out petroleum-based synthetic food dyes.
The six dyes named in that effort are:
- FD&C Green No. 3.
- FD&C Red No. 40.
- FD&C Yellow No. 5.
- FD&C Yellow No. 6.
- FD&C Blue No. 1.
- FD&C Blue No. 2.
The FDA is working with food manufacturers and trade groups to eliminate these dyes from the food supply. The agency’s current industry tracker shows company commitments and reformulation timelines, many extending through the end of 2027.
Here is the important part:
These six dyes are not all federally banned right now.
Much of the phase-out depends on voluntary company commitments and reformulation. Some businesses have already removed them. Others are still working on it.
The FDA has also started the process of revoking authorization for Orange B and Citrus Red No. 2, but those actions are separate from the completed bans on BVO and Red 3.
So read the label. Do not assume “phase-out” means “illegal today.”
Other additives are being reviewed: not banned
The FDA is also reviewing several chemicals used in food, food packaging, or food production.
That list includes ingredients such as:
- BHA.
- BHT.
- Azodicarbonamide.
- Potassium bromate.
- Titanium dioxide.
- Some food-contact chemicals.
A review is not a ban.
It means the FDA is gathering information, looking at exposure, evaluating scientific evidence, or deciding whether further action is needed.
For example, the FDA reopened the comment period on BHT in July 2026. BHT is an antioxidant used to slow spoilage in some foods containing fats and oils. As of this writing, it has not been banned by the FDA.
You can follow updates through the FDA’s list of select chemicals under review.
That is a better source than a dramatic social media graphic.
How I read a food label now
After 20 years of dieting, I stopped trying to find the “perfect” package.
That was exhausting.
Now I use a simple system.
Step 1: Start with the first three ingredients
Ingredients are generally listed by weight, from most to least.
So if the first few ingredients are:
- Sugar.
- Corn syrup.
- Refined flour.
That tells me something.
If the first ingredients are:
- Oats.
- Peanuts.
- Dates.
That tells me something else.
It does not make one food morally good and the other morally bad. It simply helps me understand what I am buying.
Step 2: Scan for the additives you want to limit
You do not need to memorize the entire periodic table.
Start with the names making the biggest headlines:
- BVO.
- Red 3.
- Red 40.
- Yellow 5.
- Yellow 6.
- Blue 1.
- Blue 2.
- Green 3.
Then scan for preservatives or stabilizers you personally prefer to avoid, such as BHA or BHT.
No panic.
No tossing your entire pantry into the trash.
Just information.
Step 3: Check the added sugar
An additive-free food can still be loaded with added sugar.
Look at the Added Sugars line on the Nutrition Facts label. Compare similar products. Choose the one that fits your health goals: not necessarily the one with the most polished front-of-package claim.
“Natural.”
“Wholesome.”
“Made with plants.”
Those words can sound wonderful. They are not a substitute for reading the label.
Step 4: Look for fiber and protein
A product with some added ingredients may still be useful if it helps you eat a balanced meal.
I look for foods that bring something to the table:
- Fiber.
- Protein.
- Healthy fats.
- Vitamins and minerals.
- Actual satisfaction.
That might be plain yogurt with berries. Oatmeal with walnuts. Beans with brown rice. A whole-grain tortilla filled with vegetables and salmon.
Food that feeds me.
Not food that keeps me chasing another snack thirty minutes later.
Practical shopping tips for a lower-additive kitchen
Here is what has helped me build better health habits without starting another restrictive diet.
Shop the outside aisles: but not only the outside aisles
Fresh produce, eggs, fish, beans, plain dairy, nuts, and whole grains make a strong foundation.
But frozen vegetables are real food.
Canned beans are real food.
Bagged salad is still salad.
A food does not become unhealthy because someone helped wash, freeze, or preserve it.
Choose “plain” more often
Plain oatmeal.
Plain Greek yogurt.
Unsalted nuts.
Unseasoned frozen vegetables.
You can add cinnamon, berries, garlic, herbs, olive oil, or lemon at home. You control the flavor and the added sugar.
Compare two similar products
Pick up two pasta sauces, breads, cereals, or snack bars.
Read both labels.
Choose the one with:
- Less added sugar.
- More fiber.
- A useful amount of protein.
- Fewer unnecessary colors.
- Ingredients you recognize and can pronounce: or at least understand.
No product will win every category. Choose the better fit.
Use convenience strategically
I am not cooking everything from scratch. I have 20 years of evidence that unrealistic plans do not last.
Keep easy foods available:
- Frozen berries.
- Canned lentils.
- Prewashed greens.
- Rotisserie chicken.
- Plain tuna or salmon.
- Low-sodium canned beans.
- Unsweetened yogurt.
- Nuts and seeds.
Sustainable lifestyle health impact comes from what you can repeat on a tired Tuesday: not what looks impressive on a perfect Sunday.
What this means for longevity
Food additives are only one piece of the longevity picture.
The bigger picture is your overall pattern.
More whole foods.
Less added sugar.
More beans, berries, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and fish.
Fewer sugary drinks.
More movement.
Better sleep.
A kitchen that makes the healthier choice easier.
That is the work.
Not perfection.
Not fear.
Not another 30-day punishment plan.
At 20 Years Dieting, we make a distinction between your diet: the food you regularly eat: and dieting, the short-term restriction cycle that often leaves you frustrated and starting over.
The FDA’s changes give us useful information. They do not require us to become label detectives 24 hours a day.
Start small.
Replace one brightly colored sugary drink with water or unsweetened tea. Add beans to dinner. Buy plain oatmeal instead of a heavily sweetened packet. Read one label before putting it in your cart.
Then repeat.
That is how long-term health is built.
One choice.
Then another.
The merry-go-round can stop. Not because you found the perfect food. Because you finally built a way of eating you can live with.
This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have diabetes, food allergies, or take an ingestible medication, speak with your healthcare professional before making major changes. For the latest regulatory information, consult the FDA’s food ingredients and packaging resources.