The secretions from these plants are typically turned into a gum, which can be used as a bulking agent, emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener, foaming agent, gelling agent, suspending agent and whipping agent (like high fructose corn syrup, gum arabic may also contribute to the slightly syrupy texture of Mountain Dew).
“It’s commonly used as an antioxidant or preservative.” Studies also show that erythorbic acid enhances iron absorption, which is an unexpected plus.ġ0) Gum Arabic: According to Xavier, gum arabic is derived from the Acacia Senegal plant - a large genus of shrubs, lianas and trees. It acts as a preservative and can provide a sour taste when added in high amounts.ĩ) Erythorbic Acid: “Erythorbic acid is a compound that can be naturally derived from many fruits and vegetables,” Xavier explains. But then again, Mountain Dew really isn’t the healthiest means of upping your caffeine intake.Ĩ) Sodium Citrate: Sodium citrate is the sodium salt of citric acid, according to Dagan Xavier, ingredient expert and co-founder of Label Insight. A 2005 study even found that higher-dose caffeine consumers experienced a greater decrease in fat mass, body weight and waist circumference than their less caffeinated counterparts. But as physician and biochemist Cate Shanahan, author of Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food, told us during our exploration of the ingredients found in Diet Coke, “Caffeine helps burn fat.” It does this by stimulating a process called thermogenesis, which converts calories into heat energy (and explains why you might start sweating after drinking a little too much coffee). Which natural flavors are used to make Mountain Dew remains a mystery since the FDA allows companies to protect their recipes by using vague terminology like “spices” or “natural flavors” when referring to flavoring agents.Ħ) Sodium Benzoate: Acting as a preservative, studies show that sodium benzoate may exacerbate hyperactive behavior in young children, which is probably reason enough to keep their hands off of this stuff.ħ) Caffeine: Reports on the negative effects of caffeine are strewn across the web, including addiction, insomnia and irritability. This also yields a product that’s seven times more concentrated than the initial juice.Ĥ) Citric Acid: Citric acid is a sour flavoring agent derived from citrus, and it’s often used to keep products like Mountain Dew fresh while they’re sitting on the shelves.ĥ) Natural Flavor: Natural flavors are quite literally flavors derived from an actual food source - i.e., orange flavoring taken from a real orange. The honey-like texture of high fructose corn syrup may also contribute to the dewy consistency of Mountain Dew - a 20-ounce bottle of the stuff boasts a whopping 77 grams of sugar ( 19 teaspoons!), most of which comes from the gobs of high fructose corn syrup dispensed into each serving (for reference, a 16-ounce Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino contains 61 grams of sugar).ģ) Concentrated Orange Juice: Concentrated orange juice has been filtered through a processor that extracts all of the excess water - that way, the juice takes up less space while being transported. So, if possible, you want to avoid foods and drinks containing this ingredient. It’s a commonly-used sweetener, and has been linked to obesity and diabetes by many, many studies. Whichever name you prefer, it’s just water that’s had carbon-dioxide bubbles added for fizziness.Ģ) High Fructose Corn Syrup: High fructose corn syrup is corn syrup that’s had some of its glucose converted to fructose enzymatically. The Ingredientsġ) Carbonated Water: This ingredient is probably better known as soda water, sparkling water or seltzer water. This edition: Mountain Dew, which is made from 13 separate ingredients that we’ve broken down in the exact order they appear on their website.
But since most of us have no idea what xanthan gum or potassium benzoate are - or more importantly, what they’re doing to our bodies - we’re decoding the ingredients in the many things Americans put in (and on) themselves with the help of an expert. We’re often told that you should never eat anything (or put anything on your body) if you don’t recognize everything on the ingredients list.
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