Cyn's Health & Fitness Corner: Demystifying Food Labels

Are you confused when reading a food label? You’re not alone! Food labels can be overwhelming and deceptive. Learning to decipher the information will enable you to make healthier choices. I provided a food label below, but grab one of your own food items and analyze while reading the information below.

We are going to look at the top portion of the label first. This will take a little bit of time, so be patient. I will be referring to the label at the bottom of this post.

CALORIES:

Many people look at the calories of a product and think it only contains150 calories, but they neglect to check out the serving size. The label below shows a serving size is ½ cup and a total of 13 servings. If you eat the entire package, you will consume 1950 calories!

FAT :

The product has 3 grams of total fat and 0.5 grams saturated fat. Saturated fat assists in increasing cholesterol and should be limited to 10% of your total daily calories. A gram of fat contains 9 calories, so this product contains 27 fat calories - 9 calories X 3 grams = 27.

The label shows this product contains zero trans fat. Trans fat, also known as partially hydrogenated oil is a liquid unsaturated fat manufactured to become a solid saturated fat. The process of hydrogenation was developed by food manufacturers to make an unsaturated fat solid at room temperature in order to prolong product shelf life (Muth, 2010). “Trans fatty acids have been implicated in the development of coronary heart disease, as well as elevating the risk of diabetes” (Schlenker & Roth, 2011, 67). A product may say it has NO trans fat as long as it contains less than 0.5 grams! This is when it’s important to read the ingredient list: look for the words “partially hydrogenated oil.” If those words are listed the product contains trans fat! It is recommended we avoid trans fat.

Cholesterol:

Too much cholesterol can lead to heart disease. It is recommended to consume 300 mg. or less each day.

Sodium (also known as salt):

Salt has shown to increase blood pressure which increases the risk of heart disease. American Heart Association (AHA) recently lowered their recommended consumption from 2300 mg per day to 1500 mg. per day (AHA, 2013).

Carbohydrates:

They are the body’s preferred energy source. Starch and sugar are the two types of digestible carbohydrates – they are found in plant foods. Fiber is the undigested material found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

Check out the label below. You will find total carbohydrates, but more importantly the grams of fiber a product contains and the grams of sugar (includes natural occurring and added sugars). Four grams of sugar equals approximately 1 teaspoon! If a product contains 12 grams of sugar per serving you will consume 3 teaspoons of sugar each serving! AHA recommends consuming not more than 6 teaspoons of sugar a day for women and no more than 9 teaspoons a day for a man (AHA, 2013). A gram of carbohydrates contains 4 calories, so this product contains 108 carbohydrate calories: 27 grams of carbohydrates X 4 calories = 108.

Protein:

Many American’s receive protein in the source of meats. Other sources of protein include soy, dairy, eggs, beans, grains, nuts, and cereals. A gram of protein contains 4 calories. This product contains 20 protein calories: 5 grams X 4 calories = 20.

Vitamins/Minerals:

This section shows the percentage of vitamins and mineral provided in a product based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Daily Values:

The percentages shown on the right hand side of the label is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. These percentages will vary depending on whether you consume more or less calories each day.

Ingredient List:

It may be even more important to read the ingredient list so you are not tricked by a deceptive label. Many labels will say NO TRANS FAT, but when reading the label you will see “partially hydrogenated oil” which means it does contain trans fat. You will no longer be fooled! Manufacturers are required to list ingredients in order of quantity.

Salt and sugar are often known by many different names. Salt is often listed as: sodium benzoate, disodium, or monosodium glutamate [MSG] (AHA, 2013). Sugar can also be seen listed as: high-fructose corn syrup or corn syrup, agave nectar, barley malt syrup or dehydrated cane juice, molasses, can sugar, honey, raw sugar, syrup, fruit juice concentrates, as well as names ending in “ose” such as maltose or sucrose (AHA, 2013).

This is a lot of information. Taking the time to read food labels will get easier with time and help you make healthier food choices.