it is my contention that you could eat any random items form the perimeter of the store and be healthier than anyone that buys items from the health food aisle.
Food is an ingredient, it shouldn't have ingredients
But I understand your general point, you should be able to read the list of ingredients and understand what they all are right? Pasta being, flour, eggs, olive oil and salt is a much shorter list than whatever is in a microwave meal
Once you start googling some ingredients it is very easy to see what things are for. People are surprised when you tell them chicken flavour is vegan. I still don't think that is a bad thing.
Just cramming in 5 types of sugar and the daily recommended dosis of salt. That is what frustrates me. Maybe a list of purposes would help.