A handful of studies have indicated that slightly more than half of Americans actually read the nutrition facts and ingredients lists on processed foods while at the grocery store. It is very unlikely that you are lucky enough to eat processed foods without reading ingredient labels while eating healthy, nutritious foods. With more than 35% of U.S. citizens at least 35 pounds above a healthy weight, I'm not surprised so few people actually read what's in their food.
Have you noticed the ingredients list on a food package has the smallest font in the history of printing? Food industry groups have pushed back against advocacy groups and the FDA, who are trying to increase the size and prominence of this important information. The food industry has a powerful lobby and they would rather you not pay much attention to the healthiness of their food or the chemicals they pump into it. They're much happier if you focus on their huge, bogus marketing claims plastered on the front.
The Nutrition Facts panel, which was designed and is required by the FDA, informs consumers about serving sizes and provides per serving information on calories, a variety of fats, sodium, cholesterol, carbohydrates, fiber, and protein. It also shows the serving size's percentage of said nutrient that is recommended for daily intake. Always check serving sizes to see if they are reasonable compared to what you are actually going to eat. 100 calories or 5g of fat may seem fair, but if you are going to eat seven servings, it's not a realistic measure and is misleading.
There are some issues you need to be aware of. First, these percentages only relate to a 2,000 calorie diet. You need to figure out your RDA's based on your own healthy calorie intake, not the average person's intake. Furthermore, the RDA percentage is often mistaken for a breakdown of the content of the food's nutrients. It is not. A product may show a 10% number for fat, but it could be over 60% or more of the food's nutritional value (or lack there of).
There are a few things to consider when reading food labels and ingredient lists. First, ingredients are listed in size order from largest to smallest. Sugar listed first can be significantly different than if it's listed last. Also, the fewer the ingredients, usually is better, but not always. You still have to read the list to see what's there and assess each ingredient.
If I don't know a chemical or ingredient in a packaged food, I think about two things. Do I need to a PHD in chemistry to make this myself? Would I add this to my meal if I made it myself? You will probably want to avoid any ingredient you don't know, and certainly if you wouldn't add it to a home-cooked meal. Not too many people would go food shopping for TBHQ, high fructose corn syrup, or food dye yellow #5 to throw into their next pasta dish or hamburger.
I recommend completely disregarding marketing claims on the front of the package. Go directly to the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredient lists. If you are going to use label marketing claims (which have so many loopholes, they're virtually useless), I suggest using them as a starting point for further investigation. It also helps to know what claims are regulated and which aren't as well as what they actually mean. They are often misleading. Did you know there can be fat in a no-fat product? These marketing claims are not what they seem. If you're going to eat processed foods, make them as clean as possible. To do that, you have to read your food ingredient labels.
Have you noticed the ingredients list on a food package has the smallest font in the history of printing? Food industry groups have pushed back against advocacy groups and the FDA, who are trying to increase the size and prominence of this important information. The food industry has a powerful lobby and they would rather you not pay much attention to the healthiness of their food or the chemicals they pump into it. They're much happier if you focus on their huge, bogus marketing claims plastered on the front.
The Nutrition Facts panel, which was designed and is required by the FDA, informs consumers about serving sizes and provides per serving information on calories, a variety of fats, sodium, cholesterol, carbohydrates, fiber, and protein. It also shows the serving size's percentage of said nutrient that is recommended for daily intake. Always check serving sizes to see if they are reasonable compared to what you are actually going to eat. 100 calories or 5g of fat may seem fair, but if you are going to eat seven servings, it's not a realistic measure and is misleading.
There are some issues you need to be aware of. First, these percentages only relate to a 2,000 calorie diet. You need to figure out your RDA's based on your own healthy calorie intake, not the average person's intake. Furthermore, the RDA percentage is often mistaken for a breakdown of the content of the food's nutrients. It is not. A product may show a 10% number for fat, but it could be over 60% or more of the food's nutritional value (or lack there of).
There are a few things to consider when reading food labels and ingredient lists. First, ingredients are listed in size order from largest to smallest. Sugar listed first can be significantly different than if it's listed last. Also, the fewer the ingredients, usually is better, but not always. You still have to read the list to see what's there and assess each ingredient.
If I don't know a chemical or ingredient in a packaged food, I think about two things. Do I need to a PHD in chemistry to make this myself? Would I add this to my meal if I made it myself? You will probably want to avoid any ingredient you don't know, and certainly if you wouldn't add it to a home-cooked meal. Not too many people would go food shopping for TBHQ, high fructose corn syrup, or food dye yellow #5 to throw into their next pasta dish or hamburger.
I recommend completely disregarding marketing claims on the front of the package. Go directly to the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredient lists. If you are going to use label marketing claims (which have so many loopholes, they're virtually useless), I suggest using them as a starting point for further investigation. It also helps to know what claims are regulated and which aren't as well as what they actually mean. They are often misleading. Did you know there can be fat in a no-fat product? These marketing claims are not what they seem. If you're going to eat processed foods, make them as clean as possible. To do that, you have to read your food ingredient labels.
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You can learn more at my website Food Labels or my blog at why artificial sweeteners are bad
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