Don’t Let Your Spices Sabotage You: The Hidden Additives in Everyday Seasonings

With Thanksgiving coming up, many of us are already planning our favorite meals and reaching for the seasonings we’ve used for years. But before adding them to the list, it’s worth pausing to check what’s actually inside. Some of those familiar bottles and packets might hold more than just flavor, they can also contain hidden additives that don’t support your body’s health.

Why Reading Labels Matters

Reading the label on your food isn’t about being obsessive, it’s about being informed. The ingredients in your seasoning mix can impact your energy, hormones, mood, and even how well your body fights inflammation. Some of the most common additives in everyday spice blends include:

• MSG (monosodium glutamate): Often used to enhance flavor, but can cause headaches, dizziness, and in some people, trigger inflammation or allergic reactions.
  
  
• Food dyes: Found in colorful spice blends or “flavor packets,” these can disrupt hormones and have been linked to hyperactivity in children.
  
  
• Anti-caking agents and preservatives: Used to keep the mix dry and shelf-stable, but they can interfere with nutrient absorption and overload the liver over time.
  
  
• Hidden sugars or artificial sweeteners: Added for taste, but can weaken the immune system and increase inflammation.
  
  

Even if these ingredients seem small, eating them regularly adds up. The long-term effects can include hormone imbalance, gut irritation, and lowered immunity—especially when combined with other processed foods in your diet.

Better Options Exist (and They Taste Better Too)

You don’t have to give up your favorite meals just upgrade the ingredients. Clean, organic seasonings are widely available now, and they often taste richer because they contain pure herbs and spices, not fillers.

A Small Shift That Protects Your Health

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about awareness. By choosing simpler, higher-quality ingredients, you’re reducing your exposure to chemicals that your body has to work overtime to filter out. Over time, that means less inflammation, better digestion, and more natural energy

You don’t have to change your entire pantry overnight, start with one swap at a time. The goal is to season your food in a way that supports your health, not harms it.