1. By: Lisa Gensrick and Zenyse Miller

2. is an ingredient that sweetens the Kool-Aid mixture.  Fructose is a sugar but is sweeter than table sugar.  Fructose is found in fruits and veggies along with other sugars.  After table sugar is digested, fructose and glucose are left.  Products that contain fructose often label that it is healthier than other companies that use sugar HFCS to sweeten their products.  Fructose is good for diabetics because it doesn’t “boost blood glucose levels”.  Fructose may cause more triglyceride (fat) in the blood making the risk of heart disease if it is consumed a lot.  Fructose may affect hormones which contribute to gaining weight and being obese.  Fructose is called other names like Arabino-2-hexulose; Levulose; Laevulose; D-Fructose; b-D-Fruit sugar; Laevocan, Fructose Sugar.

3. is a weak organic acid, flavoring and chelating agent. Citric Acid is used to add an acidic taste to products. Citric Acid is also used in cleaning products and acts like an antioxidant and a lubricant. Citric Acid is found in many fruits and vegetables but it is mostly in citrus fruits. Citric Acid is said to be safe and is not harmful to eat. Citric Acid is called other names like Hydrogen citrate; 2-Hydroxy-1,2,3- propanetricarboxylic acid; 2-Hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid; b- Hydroxytricarballylic acid; Citro: Citric acid monyohydrate; Citric Acid Anhydrous; Citric Acid Powder.

4. is Vitamin C and an ingredient that promotes health.  Ascorbic Acid is also known as Vitamin C and is a water- soluble vitamin.  Ascorbic Acid helps form collagen in bones, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels.  Ascorbic Acid helps prevent color and flavor loss in fruits by reacting with unwanted oxygen in the fruit.  Ascorbic Acid also helps stop cancer by preventing nitrosamines from forming.  Ascorbic Acid is used as a nutrient additive in drinks and breakfast cereals and is said to be safe to eat.

5. is an ingredient that promotes health and is used in dietary supplements and vegetable oil. Vitamin E Acetate has eight forms that all have their own biological activity. The most active form of Vitamin E Acetate is alpha-tocopherol and is a powerful biological antioxidant. When Vitamin E Acetate is in a supplement it is usually sold as alpha- tocopheryl which is a form of alph-tocopherol. Another two forms of Vitamin E Acetate are the synthetic form, which is labeled D, L and the natural form, which is labeled as D. The natural is twice as active as the synthetic form of Vitamin E Acetate. Vitamin E Acetate can help prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease by stopping the production of free radicals, which are damaging by-products of energy metabolism and hurt cells in the human body. Vitamin E Acetate has also helped immune function, DNA repair, and other metabolic processes.

6.  Calcium Phosphate is formed by when calcium, the most abundant mineral, combines with phosphorus in the body.  Calcium Phosphate is found in bones and teeth and is essential to the normal function of nerves and muscles.  Calcium phosphate helps blood coagulation and enzymatic processes.  Some of the other names to Calcium phosphate are Oyster Shell Calcium; Tricalcium Phosphate; Bone Meal; Calcium (Coral); Calcium Amino Acid Chelates; Calcium Ascorbate; Calcium Aspartate; Calcium Bisglycinate; Calcium Carbonate; Calcium Glucarate; Calcium Gluconate; Calcium Glycinate; Calcium Histidinate; Calcium Hydroxyapatite; Calcium Hyd.

7. is an ingredient that is problematic and is used in chewing gum, baked goods, and soft drinks. Acesulfame potassium is also known as Acesulfame K or Ace K and is calorie-free. Acesulfame D is called the Sunnett and the Sweet One because it is about half as sweet as saccharin, 200 times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose), one- quarter as sweet as sucralose, and as sweet as aspartame. If Acesulfame K is consumed too much, it is said it can cause cancer. After many tests, scientists say Acesulfame K is unhealthy and if consumed too much it was shown that it affected the thyroid in rats, rabbits, and dogs.

8. is an ingredient that is safe and is used in diet foods. Sucralose is used in soft drinks, baked goods, ice cream, sweetener packets, and more products. Sucralose was first used in Canada, Europe, and elsewhere until it was approved in the U.S. in 1998. Sucralose is safer than saccharin, acesulfame K, and cyclate but it was first objected by the CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) because they thought it may cause premature shrinkage in the thymus gland. Sucralose was later tested on lab animals to see if it caused cancer but it did not show any problems. Sucralose is a synthetic chemical made by chemically reacting sugar with chlorine, but it is still safe to eat. Other names of Sucralose are 1’,4,6’-Trichlorogalactosucrose; Trichlorosucrose; Splenda.

9. Work Cited  http://www.labelwatch.com/prod_results. php?search=1&ref=1 http://www.labelwatch.com/prod_results. php?search=1&ref=1