How to Read Food Labels and Choose Healthier Packaged Foods

We know that choosing whole foods over processed foods is always best, but even I turn to packaged foods occasionally when I’m in a pinch for a quick meal or a snack. You can still eat packaged foods from time to time without serious consequences, but it’s important to know how to choose the best packaged foods for you and your family’s health. 

Skip the Front of the Box and Look at the Ingredient List

Food manufacturers know how to market products well to make us believe that the “sugar-free”, “fat-free” and “low-calorie” options are healthy. But if you look a little deeper, (as in flip that box over and look at the actual ingredient list), you’ll see this is the furthest from the truth. These “health-claims” that are so convincing are not actually for your best interest and it’s up to you to be your own health advocate and educate yourself – which you are doing as you read this!  

Never Rely on the Nutrition Facts for Accurate Information

The nutrition label doesn’t give you the whole picture. This label shows serving sizes that are usually much smaller than the average person will consume and can often be deceptive. For example, labeling trans-fats is not required in foods that contain less than 0.5g of trans-fats per serving. Though the front of the package may say “trans-fat-free", it may not be. 

Additionally, judging the healthfulness of a food by looking at the sugar or carbohydrate content is equally as deceptive, because the sugars are likely highly processed and genetically modified, which are much worse than sugars from natural sources. 

Don't Rely on Packaged Foods for Nutrition

You might see the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of certain nutrients like vitamin C, but these numbers are much lower than they should be for optimal health. Stick to whole foods for your main sources of nutrition.

How to Read the Ingredient List

Can’t Pronounce an Ingredient? PASS. 

When browsing the ingredients, a good rule of thumb is if you can’t pronounce it, DON’T EAT IT! If you don’t recognize an ingredient your body won’t either. Good old common sense will tell you it's probably best not to consume something containing a chemical that’s 25 letters long. Also, keep an eye out for natural and artificial flavours and colours, because they aren’t natural at all.

Look for Refined Sugars 

There are many different names for sugar, but a few common ones will end in “ose”, such as sucrose, fructose and dextrose. Others include syrups like corn syrup, and concentrates. Be cautious of artificial sweeteners as well, as they are quite toxic. 

Avoid Processed Fats

Hydrogenated and trans-fats are in most processed foods, but they also sneak into the natural isle of grocery stores. Stay on the lookout for oils like corn, canola, safflower, sunflower and soybean.

Don’t Be Fooled by “Enriched” Products 

Foods that are “enriched” with vitamins are always the synthetic form and don’t provide the same benefits as eating them in their natural, whole-food form.  

Watch Out For MSG

This deserves its own article, but monosodium glutamate (MSG) is an extremely common neurotoxin that kills brain cells – and no, it’s not only in Chinese food. A few names include “natural flavour”, “yeast extract”, “flavour”, “whey protein”, “soy protein”, anything “protein”, “gelatin”, etc.

Need some help figuring out which foods are best for you? I offer 1-on-1 sessions via skype, let’s work together!

Asher Kleiber

Registered Holistic Nutritionist™

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Sources:

http://www.hungryforchange.tv/article/sneaky-names-for-msg-check-your-labels 

Eat Dirt by Dr. Josh Axe, DNM, DC, CNS