Fool Label Lingo

Do you need a guidebook while grocery shopping for healthy foods?  Are you confused by the labeling lingo?  Unfortunately many of the terms used are marketing ploys to promote an unhealthy product as healthy.  Below you will find some of the most confusing terms along with a definition to help you make informed food choices in the future.

·        Organic is only organic if it say “100% Organic” on the label, otherwise it’s only partially organic.  “Organic” indicates the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods.  “Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used” (United States Department of Agriculture [USDA], 2014).

Ø 100% Organic – must be all organic or use all organic ingredients (Mayo Clinic, 2011)

Ø Organic – products must be at least 95% organic (Mayo Clinic, 2011)

Ø Made with organic ingredients - must contain at least 70% organic ingredients (Mayo Clinic, 2011)

·        Natural doesn’t always mean healthy.  The U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) “has not developed a definition for use of the term natural or its derivatives (FDA, 2015). The agency allows the term as long as the food item does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances.  The product could still contain large amounts of sugar, fat, or sodium.

·        Gluten-free means a product contains less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten (FDA, 2015).  Gluten in a protein naturally found in grains including wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, triticale and all hybrid varieties of wheat.  For people with celiac disease it is necessary to eliminate gluten from their diet, but for others eliminating gluten may lead to vitamin, mineral, and fiber deficiencies.

·        Fat-free, Low-fat, Reduced-fat, Light

Ø “Fat-free foods must have less than 0.5 gram of fat per serving.

Ø Low-fat foods must have 3 grams of fat or less per serving.

Ø Reduced-fat foods must have at least 25% less fat than regular versions of those foods.

Ø Light foods must have either 1/3 fewer calories or 50% less fat” (WebMD, 2014).

·        Grass-fed - marketing claims state ruminant animals (e.g., cattle, sheep, goats – these animals have four compartments to their stomach; the largest section is the rumen) must be fed grass and forage (e.g., hay with grass) with the exception of milk prior to weaning (USDA, 2008).  They cannot have grain or grain byproducts, but they can receive vitamin and mineral supplementation.

·        No Added Hormones or Raised without Hormones is unnecessary on poultry, pork, and goat.  “Federal regulations have never permitted hormones or steroids in poultry, pork, or goat” (USDA, 2012).

·        Pasture-raised – the USDA does not currently have a federal definition or guidelines for pasture raised products.

Manufacturers are always trying to sell their products and often use deceptive advertising, especially on the front label.  It’s best to check out the back of the label and read the list of ingredients.  This will let you know exactly what is in the product with the ingredients listed in order from highest to lowest.  Next time you go grocery shopping you’ll be armed with knowledge to make the healthiest food choice!

 

References

Mayo Clinic. (2011). Organic foods: are they safer?  More nutritious?

      Retrieved from: http: mayoclinic.com/ health/organic-food/NU00255

United States Department of Agriculture. (2014). What is organic?

      Retrieved from: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateA&navID=NationalOrganicProgram&leftNav=NationalOrganicProgram&page=NOPNationalOrganicProgramHome&acct=AMSPW

United States Department of Agriculture. (2008). Grass fed marketing

     claims. Retrieved from:  http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams. 
  fetchTemplateData.dotemplate=TemplateN&rightNav1=GrassFedMarketingClaimStandards&topNav=&leftNav=GradingCertificationandVerfication&page=GrassFedMarketingClaims&resultType=

United States Department of Agriculture. (2012). National organic program.

     Retrieved from: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplate Data.dotemplate=TemplateC&leftNav=NationalOrganicProgram&page=NOPConsumers&description=Consumers

US Food and Drug Association. (2015). What is the meaning of ‘natural’ on

      the label of food? Retrieved from: http://www.fda.gov/aboutfda/
      transparency/basics/ucm214868.htm  

US Food and Drug Association. (2015). Gluten and food labeling: fda’s

Regulation of “gluten-free” claims.” Retrieved from: http://www.fda.gov /    Food/ GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/  Allergens/ucm367654.htm

WebMD. (2014). Low-fat diet; why fat-free isn’t trouble free. Retrieved from:

       http://www.webmd.com/diet/low-fat-diet