12 Common Food Additives Wreck Your Gut Bacteria

Twelve common food additives were tested on human gut bacteria. They altered the microbiome and reduced its ability to digest fiber.

What Additives Do to Your Gut

A 2026 study in Nutrients tested twelve food additives on gut bacteria from both healthy adults and adults with Crohn's disease in remission. The additives changed the microbial composition and reduced the gut's ability to ferment fiber. People with Crohn's showed even more sensitivity to the additives.

Fiber fermentation is how your gut bacteria produce beneficial short-chain fatty acids. When additives impair that process, you lose a key source of gut health support.

What You Can Do

Eat whole foods. Read labels. Avoid products with long ingredient lists full of additives. Cook at home. Browse non-toxic kitchen alternatives to make additive-free cooking easier.

Source: Alessa et al. (2026). Nutrients.