Don't Let the LABEL Fool You -- Be a SMART SHOPPER

Nowadays, consumer are more health-conscious than ever before. On the one side, this is a positive thing because it means that we are COGNIZANT of and INTENTIONAL with what we allow into our bodies. On the other hand, however, the manufacturers are well aware of this increased consumer consciousness, and it has resulted in them using MISLEADING tricks and EVASIVE tactics to entice us into continuing to buy their highly processed and unhealthy food products.

Reading FOOD LABELS can be confusing, and understanding the complex labeling regulations can be even more challenging, ultimately making it harder for consumers to both understand them and make knowledgeable food decisions.

DO NOT let the CLAIMS on the front fool you. Front labels and alluring packaging try to coax you into purchasing products by making all sorts of erroneous health claims. Adding these claims to the front of labels drives people to BELIEVE that a product is healthier than the same exact product that does not list health claims, therefore affecting consumer choices and buying preferences. Manufacturers are often DISHONEST in the manner in which they label their products, tending towards claims that are not only misleading, but downright FALSE.

Words like “free-range,” “grass-fed,” “local,” “natural,” and “organic” seem to be just about EVERYWHERE these days. Educating yourself on what these claims TRULY mean is a great way to learn WHERE your food comes from and HOW it has been produced.

When shopping, the best thing that you can do, and FIRST thing you should do, is to study the INGREDIENT LIST on nutrition label. Product ingredients are listed by QUANTITY, going from highest to lowest amount. What this means is that the first ingredient listed is the ingredient that the product contains the most of. As a general rule of thumb, scan the first THREE ingredients, as they make up the largest proportion of what you’re eating. If the first couple ingredients include refined grains, any type of sugar, or hydrogenated oils, it is safe to assume that the product is UNHEALTHY. Instead, opt for products that consist of WHOLE FOODS as the main ingredients. Furthermore, the ingredients list SHOULD NOT contain more than FIVE to SIX ingredients. Be SKEPTICAL of an ingredient list that is longer than two to three lines, as this suggests that the product is HIGHLY PROCESSED and of POOR QUALITY.

Another thing to watch out for on the nutrition label is the SERVING SIZE. Nutrition labels state the number of calories and nutrients that are in a standard amount of the product; a guide for what a SUGGESTED single serving looks like. The drawback of this, however, is that these serving sizes are frequently MUCH smaller than what people ACTUALLY consume in one sitting, making them both UNREALISTIC and MISREPRESENTATIVE.

Many people are UNAWARE of this serving size scheme and assume that the entire container, package or bottle is a single serving, when in reality, it may consist of two, three or even more servings. Considering that the serving on the nutrition label is, typically, NOT reflective of the amount of food truly eaten, it is necessary to multiply the serving given on the back by the number of servings consumed, in order to acquire the ACCURATE nutritional value of what you’re putting in your body.

SUGAR, and added sugar, can also be deceptive, as there are COUNTLESS different names used to disguise it, many of which you may not recognize. Manufacturers use this to their advantage by PURPOSELY adding in multiple types of sugar as a way to HIDE the actual amount of sugar in their products. By doing so, they can not only list a healthier ingredient at the top, mentioning sugar farther down, but they also manipulate us into ACCIDENTALLY consuming more sugar than we intended to.

In order to AVOID consuming excess sugar is it important to be able to RECOGNIZE and watch out for the endless varieties of sugar in the ingredients list. Some of the most common types of SUGAR include beet sugar, brown sugar, buttered sugar, cane sugar, caster sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar, golden sugar, invert sugar, muscovado sugar, organic raw sugar, raspadura sugar, evaporated can juice and confectioner’s sugar. The most prevalent types of SYRUPS include carob syrup, golden syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, agave nectar, malt syrup, maple syrup, oat syrup, rice bran syrup and rice syrup. Other ADDED SUGARS include barley malt, molasses, cane juice crystals, lactose, corn sweetener, crystalline fructose, dextran, malt powder, ethyl mall, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, galactose, glucose, disaccharides, maltodextrin and maltose. While there are MANY MORE names out there, if you see any of these in the top ingredients, or in the ingredients list at all, then the product is high in sugar and likely doesn’t offer much nutritional value.

If you do decide to buy packaged food, then BE SURE to sort out the JUNK from the higher-quality products. The BEST way, however, to make HEALTHFUL choices and avoid being misled by product labels, and manufacturers, is to steer clear of processed food altogether, after all, whole food DOESN’T need an ingredients list.

If it COMES FROM A PLANT, it is nourishing for you, if it is MADE IN A PLANT, it is not.

Check back next week for a break-down of company claims and how YOU as a consumer can COMBAT them with confidence.

Xx, Leah Kutsch P.S. Keeping IIN Touch