Reading food labels can be tricky and is an essential skill to make informed and healthy choices while grocery shopping. Here are some tips to help you read food labels without being tricked:
1. Pay Attention to the Serving Size: All the information provided on the label pertains to ONE serving. Be mindful of how many servings you consume to accurately assess the Nutritional Content.
2. Check the Ingredient List: Ingredients are listed by quantity from highest to lowest. Avoid products with a Long List of artificial additives, preservatives, and high amounts of added sugars, unhealthy fats, or sodium.
3. Understand the Nutrition Facts: Look for the following key information on the label:
- Total calories: Assess the total number of calories per serving
- Macronutrients: Look at the amounts of fat (including saturated and trans fats), carbohydrates (including sugars and fiber), and protein. Choose products with lower amounts of unhealthy fats and added sugars, and higher amounts of fiber and protein.
4. Look Out for Misleading Claims: Health claims on packaged food are designed to catch your attention and convince you that the product is healthy.
Some of the most common claims — and what they mean:
- Natural -This does not necessarily mean that the product resembles anything natural. It simply indicates that at one point the manufacturer worked with a natural source like apples or rice.
- No Added Sugar – Some products are naturally high in sugar. The fact that they don’t have added sugar doesn’t mean they’re healthy.
- Low Fat – This label usually means that the fat has been reduced at the cost of adding more sugar.
5. Be Aware of hidden Sugars: Check the ingredient list for added sugars, such as high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, or cane sugar. Avoid products with a high sugar content, especially if they are listed as one of the first few ingredients.
The best way to avoid being misled by product labels is to avoid processed foods altogether. After all, whole food doesn’t need an ingredients list.