Today we’ll go through how to read food labels and the packaging, and what to look for! Food labels can be confusing and not many will be able to tell what to look for and what they mean. It definitely looks like a mess when you’re not sure what to look for with all the scientific names and numbers all over the place. So, let’s go through them step by step!
- All Natural
You’ll see this a lot on the packaging. All natural to us usually means that we can rely on it using all natural ingredients. However, all natural ingredients will never be shelf stable which means it won’t last as long. When you see the expiry date on a food item, you’ll notice that it may last surprisingly long than if you were to make it yourself.
For an example, fruit juices are easily made at home but how long before they turn without refrigeration? Not very long and depending on the weather and how warm it is, it might only last within the day. Whereas packaged fruit juices could last as long as a whole year before its expiry date. So watch out on these claims!
2. Claims on food packaging!
Companies love placing unsubstantiated claims of the product they make on the packaging and labels. This is not to say that the claims are untrue in general of the particular food items. However, we need to look a little deeper for this one. A good example is when the packaging label says “Helps Boost Immunity!”. That’s great! But how much does it boost and what about it is helping with that? Plenty of food contains vitamins and proteins that certainly can help with your immune system but the amount required is more than what’s usually contained in a product.
Be skeptical with claims like these because more likely than not you’re not going to really benefit greatly from them. When choosing food you should look for what you need rather than what else you’re getting out of it. Labels like these only exist to artificially increase the value of a product.
3. Low Fat
You’re looking to lose body fat. You’re doing your grocery shopping and you come across one of your favourite snacks. You know that it’s not going to help you lose any amount of fat so you walk away. Then you notice that there’s a low fat option. Right on the packaging label in bold and bright letters saying “Low Fat!”. It makes you think that it’s a low calorie option and you get to have your favourite snack and still be in a calorie deficit. But one look at the side and you’ll notice that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be!
Whenever you see Low Fat it usually means high in sugar. The unfortunate reality of how it works is when you remove the fat you remove all the flavour from the food. The only way to remedy this is to increase the amount of sugar and salt to enhance the flavour. Otherwise it may taste like the cardboard containing your favourite cereal.
4. Alternative/Artificial Sweeteners
Sweeteners are a great way to have a lower calorie option especially when it comes to sweetened beverages. When we plenty of people have lost a lot of body fat just by choosing lower calorie options like diet or zero sugar coke. However, whole sweeteners are a great option for this, there’s a caveat to get through first before considering an alternative sweetened item.
Sweeteners are first and foremost an actual sugar. The only thing about this type of sugar is that it cannot be digested. But what ends up happening is that your gut bacteria will consume them. And while it is fine for your gut bacteria to consume the sweeteners, it will then send signals to your brain and will cause cravings. However, cravings can be controlled through your nutrition and portion sizes of your meals. Being full means you wont get any cravings and have more control over what you’re having.
5. Zero Sugar Added
“Zero sugar added” is another way to label something as a “Healthy” product. But it is just fancy word play that makes you think you’re getting the better option. You can see on the nutritional label that it still shows a high amount of carbohydrates but is still being mentioned as a healthier option. Zero sugar added doesn’t mean anything as the manufacturer could complete the production of a food item and then claim that they did not add any additional sugars into its postproduction. It would be the same if you were to have freshly squeezed juice and placed it into a bottle. Sealed the bottle and then say you did not add any more sugar.
6. Lite
This is a short one, but I thought I should mention this. The word “Lite” was originally used to describe something that is scaled down or reduced in some way to create a better option for consumers. Just make sure to check the nutritional information on the side and compare it to the regular option to see just how “Lite” it is. This form of labeling has also known to just indicate a reduction of the coloring used in food items.
7. Don’t be afraid of long ingredient names
You may have heard a trend saying how you should avoid foods with ingredients that are hard to pronounce or look like they’re chemical compounds. The issue is not knowing what these ingredients are in the first place. This will take a bit of research on your end. Just whip out your phone and type the ingredient into your internet browser and what you’ll usually find is that the ingredients are almost always harmless.
There are a lot of people out there who still push that we should avoid foods with chemical names in the ingredient list without doing any form of research. They could also tell you a bunch of information that definitely sound scary. I could just as easily tell you to avoid a specific chemical compound and make it sound scary. For an example, do you happen to know about Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO)? Thermal variations in DHMO are suspected to have contributed to El Nino weather effects. It can corrode and oxidize metals if exposed to it. Used in industrial solvents and coolants. Used in nuclear power plants.
Did you figure out what DHMO is? Its water! Dihydrogen (2 hydrogen molecules) and Monoxide (1 oxygen molecule). Should we start banning water now? Of course not! That’s because we know what water is!
How to Read the food and Nutritional labels
(Nutritional Label for a Cereal Box)
1. Always Check Serving Size
Notice the serving size at the very top of the label. Each serving size for this cereal is only half a cup. This is where people may not take notice and may overconsume by taking their desired amount.
2. Check the Calories Per Serving
If you are counting your calories then this one is important. Knowing how much it provides and how much you’re able to fit into your daily caloric intake. Also if you see close to the bottom of the label it might mention that the nutritional information may be based on a caloric intake of 2000 calories. Thats a lot more than the average person’s daily intake. So watch out!
3. Check the Macros
This is the section of the label that we look for the most. The amount of Fats, Carbs, and Protein. Depending on what the food item is, make sure to check if what you’re purchasing is up to par with what it is supposed to be. An example would be if you were to purchase a protein bar then make sure that its high in protein and not carbohydrates and fats.
