Food labeling is an essential way of protecting our health. Most healthy people, feel that eating what they like is just fine and rarely think twice about it. The problem here is that overconsumption of certain foods can lead to a diseased state over time. The job of the food label is to provide us knowledge about what we are consuming.
Reading the ingredient list on a nutrition label can be daunting at times. There are two main areas to note on food packaging if you are eating out of a box or can, the serving size and the ingredients.
Serving sizes are the measure of food that is appropriate to consume at one time whether it be a tablespoon, slice, cup or jar. It is common for a jar or package to contain more than one serving but the label will be clear on the calories and nutrients obtained based on the single serving.
I know, I know I feel you, who can just eat 21 chips?? I struggle, but I know 21 (50g) of my favorite 149g bag of Ketchup Doritos is 260 calories. Therefore, I know if I eat half the bag well..you get the picture.
Ingredients are listed in order from the greatest amount to the least and in descending order by weight. That is to say, the ingredient with the most contribution is listed first, the least, last. Using this list will help you determine the nutrient content of the foods you are choosing and determine if it is the right source for you and your family. You may want to get less saturated fat (like shortening), trans fat (like partially hydrogenated oils), and added sugars (like syrups) whereas you may want more whole grains and fibre. The ingredient label is where you can find this information.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you look at an ingredient list.
- The fewer the number of ingredients, the better.
- The first or second ingredient should be what the packaging claims the product to be.
- If the first ingredient is “sugar”, put it back!
- If the first ingredient says “enriched wheat flour”… think twice.
- If there’s a long list of scary-sounding ingredients you can’t pronounce… not a good idea!
- Say no to artificial sweeteners, colourings and flavourings – they mess with your brain!
Remember that labels will defer and mean entirely different things. You could see “no”, “low” or even “reduced” but what exactly does that mean? The following list may help you discern between them.
No calorie: Less than 5 calories per serving
Low calorie: Less than 40 calories per serving (or less than 120 calories per meal)
Reduced calorie: 25% less calories than the same amount of a similar food
No fat: Less than 0.5g fat per serving
Low fat: Less than 3g fat per serving (less than 30% of calories from fat per meal)
Low saturated fat: Less than 1g fat per serving
Reduced fat: 25% less fat than the same amount of a similar food
No cholesterol: Less than 2 mg cholesterol per serving
Low cholesterol: Less than 20 mg cholesterol per serving
Reduced cholesterol: 25% less cholesterol than the same amount of a similar food
No salt: Less than 5 mg sodium per serving
Low salt: Less than 140 mg sodium per serving
Reduced salt: 25% less sodium than the same amount of a similar food
No sugar: Less than 0.5g sugar per serving
Low sugar: No requirements make sure to read the label
Reduced sugar: 25% less sugar than the same amount of a similar food
So now you know a bit more about effective label reading and how it can help you choose the right foods to incorporate from the middle aisles of your grocery store.
