A processed-foods researcher and mom of 2 says there are 2 additives on labels she avoids at all costs

Elizabeth Dunford studies food additives and their impact on health.

Elizabeth Dunford/ Getty Images Ultra-processed foods are everywhere, but some additives are worse than others.

Elizabeth Dunford is a nutrition epidemiologist who studies additives and health issues.

She avoids two types of additives when she sees them on a food label.

Elizabeth Dunford isn't trying to make grocery shopping an impossible task.

Dunford is a nutrition epidemiologist who studies additives in ultra-processed foods and their impact on health.

It's not realistic to avoid packaged foods altogether, Dunford, who is based at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, told Business Insider.

They make up around 70% of the US food supply.

So, she focuses on buying foods for her family that have a low "additive load" overall.

"I try and avoid things in general that have a lot of additives, but you can't avoid everything," said Dunford, who is a mom of two.

"If you pick it up, you turn it over, and you don't recognize half the ingredients, it's probably not a good choice," she said.

She has taught her kids that eating enough vegetables , protein, and calcium will "keep their brains and bodies healthy," and that there's a time and a place for treats, but it's not good to have too many.

"It is the everyday food and drink choices that really matter to me," Dunford said.

Ultra-processed foods contain ingredients you wouldn't find in a regular kitchen, like emulsifiers and thickening agents.