Some studies have shown that only 60% or so of Americans read the Nutrition Facts panel on food packaging and only 50% read ingredient lists. Reading food labels and ingredients lists and understanding how to interpret the information is key to making healthy food choices, and something Americans obviously need to do a better job of, given that roughly 35% of the U.S. adult population is estimated to be obese.
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 information of food packaging was created by the FDA, which mandates that food producers put it on their processed foods. This information helps consumers understand what they're eating by providing per serving data of fat, carbohydrates, and protein, as well as fiber, cholesterol and salt/sodium. You may have noticed the percentile information next to each macronutrient or vitamin. It is based off of the government's recommended daily amount. It tells you that the food's serving size represents X% of cholesterol or whatever nutrient you are looking at.
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).
When looking at the actual ingredients list, the number of ingredients is often a good clue if an item is clean or not, although it' not a fool-proof method. You certainly want to eat as close to whole foods as possible, but if there are ten ingredients and they are all organic with no chemicals, it's cleaner than something with three ingredients that have preservatives or a sweetener. The ingredients are also listed in size order. The greatest quantity is listed first down to the smallest.
With the growth in usage of processed foods, due to convenience and lower costs, there are so many chemicals in our food today, often ones the average person knows nothing about. It pays to do your homework about every ingredient you ingest. If you're in a bind, a good rule of thumb is if you don't know what it is, can't pronounce it, and you or your spouse wouldn't buy it separately to make a home-cooked meal, it's probably best to avoid.
The marketing claims on the front of a packaged food are typically worthless. Although some of them are straightforward and have oversight, like USDA Organic or Non-GMO Verified, most others have significant issues. They are either meaningless like the "all natural" food claim, which can be filled with chemicals and additives or their is no oversight. If you want to eat healthy, it pays to forget these claims or understand their shortcomings, and read your food 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 information of food packaging was created by the FDA, which mandates that food producers put it on their processed foods. This information helps consumers understand what they're eating by providing per serving data of fat, carbohydrates, and protein, as well as fiber, cholesterol and salt/sodium. You may have noticed the percentile information next to each macronutrient or vitamin. It is based off of the government's recommended daily amount. It tells you that the food's serving size represents X% of cholesterol or whatever nutrient you are looking at.
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).
When looking at the actual ingredients list, the number of ingredients is often a good clue if an item is clean or not, although it' not a fool-proof method. You certainly want to eat as close to whole foods as possible, but if there are ten ingredients and they are all organic with no chemicals, it's cleaner than something with three ingredients that have preservatives or a sweetener. The ingredients are also listed in size order. The greatest quantity is listed first down to the smallest.
With the growth in usage of processed foods, due to convenience and lower costs, there are so many chemicals in our food today, often ones the average person knows nothing about. It pays to do your homework about every ingredient you ingest. If you're in a bind, a good rule of thumb is if you don't know what it is, can't pronounce it, and you or your spouse wouldn't buy it separately to make a home-cooked meal, it's probably best to avoid.
The marketing claims on the front of a packaged food are typically worthless. Although some of them are straightforward and have oversight, like USDA Organic or Non-GMO Verified, most others have significant issues. They are either meaningless like the "all natural" food claim, which can be filled with chemicals and additives or their is no oversight. If you want to eat healthy, it pays to forget these claims or understand their shortcomings, and read your food labels.
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