Food Deceptions: Nutrition Labels, Ingredient lists & Packaging
Let’s chat about nutrition labels, ingredient lists, packaging and more.
There are so many components and parts of a nutrition label. It’s important to know how to read one correctly and efficiently. Doing so can make or break your health, progress and goals.
It’s good to know about ingredient lists and packing too.
Nutrition Labels
The key to reading a nutrition label is starting from the top. As you migrate down, you’ll find all of the key aspects that break down the food item. Taking a look, and understanding a label, can help you make better choices.
The first measurement you will see is the serving size. This tells you the standardized portion for this particular food. Below are the nutrients your body will receive from eating said portion.
Keep in mind – not all portion sizes will be a realistic amount for every person in one sitting.
Next, you’ll find the calorie amount. It’s important to remember that calories are neither good nor bad. It’s about the nutrient content that matters the most.
Just below the calories, you’ll see “% Daily Value.” This is indicated percentage amounts for each section and represents how much each contributes to a 2,000 calorie diet. These will change based on the food as well as serving size.
Total fat follows calories. While there are healthy fats such as avocados and nuts, there are some that aren’t so good for you. Two of which are listed – saturated fat and trans fat.
The next big aspect to point out is the sodium content. Paying attention to this number is crucial because processed foods can contain a lot of salt. Too much can lead to high blood pressure.
Let’s talk about dietary fiber next. Fiber is key for keeping you full and helping with digestion. Something with a decent amount of fiber is a good choice.
Sugars is another important item. What to look for here is the amount of added sugar. Processed foods tend to have more added sugar than most tend to realize.
Toward the bottom, you’ll find the protein number. Foods with protein are satiating, give you energy and help build muscle. Look for foods with higher amounts of protein.
The last numbers you’ll find are percentages for vitamins and minerals. While these are wildly important, processed foods and snacks have added vitamins and minerals. Don’t let these be your only source.
Ingredient List
Below the nutrition label is where the ingredient list is located. Some will argue that this is the most important section on packaging. You want to aim for minimally processed foods that have simple, real ingredients.
You want to be able to actually read and pronounce what’s listed. Another cool fact is that ingredients are listed in order quantity. If the list is flour, sugar, butter and salt – the food is mostly flour and sugar with some butter and a little salt.
Packaging
A lot of packaging nowadays can be super deceiving. Companies know how to trick us into thinking something is healthy for us when it really isn’t. This can be accomplished through: buzzwords and phrases; colors; designs; etc.
Watch out for packages or labels that say:
“Made with whole grains” – This statement implies that the grains are completely whole. In reality, it could have the smallest amount of whole grains. Look for “100% whole grains.”
“Multi-grain” – Companies try to use this word to trick people into thinking the item is healthier since it’s multi-grain. This typically means the food has several refined grains. Take a deeper look into this item to decide if it’s something you still want to consume.
“No Cholesterol” or “Gluten Free” – Companies will use words and phrases like these on foods that never contained the item in the first place. They trick you into thinking it’s a healthier, better choice or to get you to spend more on their product.
“Natural” or “All Natural” – Similar to the first example, this implies the food is organic or non-GMO. There is no organization overseeing this type of claim. Companies can add it to their packing even if it’s not true.
Another trick is not listing “sugar” in the ingredient list even if sugar content is high. A food can have many forms of sugar and none be enough individually to be listed. Sugar has numerous names which adds to the sneakiness.
Lastly, I’d like to mention design and colors. Companies know how to catch our attention. They know how to make a can or bag look pretty and inviting.
Some even make their products look healthy. Sounds dumb, right? But they’re smart and sneaky like that.
Bizongo states that “85% of consumers buy products based on color.” Companies will use a lot of green and natural colors to imply their product are healthy and signify nutrition. It’s the small things we tend to overlook.
Takeaways
This isn’t to make you feel bad about the foods you consume or tell you that you need to start reading every single food label.
The goal here is to raise awareness that all parts of a label have something to offer — providing insight into what you’re eating.
Another goal is to open your eyes to how you might be getting tricked. You might be fooled into spending more for something that isn’t even good for you. Take the time to learn for YOU.
Ultimately, this information can be used as a tool to make better, healthier choices.
This article as very insightful when reading about packaging. It covers buzzwords and phrases to be cautious toward. Giving it a skim would be worth your time.