Knowledge is power. Knowing how to read the food labels on packaged foods can be a powerful tool to improve your health, whether you are concerned, curious or motivated to make healthier choices.
Do not let the amount of information on food labels overwhelm you. Here are five simple steps that will help you to master the art of reading labels and make better food choices.
- Don’t pay attention to marketing on the front of food packages. The purpose of packaging marketing is to attract your attention, increase sales and not necessarily inform you about whether or not a food product is healthy. The Food and Drug Administration regulates health claims on food labels. However, these may be misleading. Breakfast cereals, for example, often advertise on the front that they have whole grains, or that there are so many grams in the package. This can make you think that the product is healthier. If you look at the nutrition label and ingredient list, it may reveal that the product has high levels of added sugars. Never rely on the packaging alone.
- Check the ingredients list before buying packaged food. Look for foods that have a short ingredient list and contain whole-foods. You can be sure that the food is not highly processed if you already have all of the ingredients. Avoid any product that has sugar as one of the first three ingredients.
- Be sure to note the serving size and calories. You may not realize that you have consumed the calories listed on the serving size. If you pour yourself 1 cup of granola, but the serving size was 1/4 cup, then quadruple all the nutrients and calories!
- Check out the green-light nutrients. Certain nutritions are good for your health, like fiber, proteins, and unsaturated fatty acids. These nutrients should be consumed in higher quantities than those listed under “yellow lights” to maximize your health and weight.
- Look for yellow-light nutrients. You should consume sodium, added sugars and saturated fat in moderation in order to maintain and reach your optimal health. Select packaged foods that have low yellow light nutrients, and are high in green light nutrition.
Label Reading Tips
Health Halo Effect: Beware
The health halo is the perception that a food will be healthy, based on its description, marketing, price and/or health claims, leading people to believe they’ll receive a certain health benefit. How can you avoid being tricked? Always check the nutrition and ingredients facts and ignore the front of the packaging.
Rule of Five
Follow the 5:5;5 rule to help reduce blood sugar spikes caused by packaged foods. For each serving, you should aim to have 5 grams or more fiber, less than 5 grams sugar and at least 5 grams protein.
Margin of error
The FDA allows a maximum of 20% error margin on food label information, even though food labels must comply with specific regulations and criteria. You can minimize the margin of error by eating less packaged food and more whole foods, while keeping track of your diet.
Sugars added
FDA requires that added sugars are listed on food labels as of 2020 to help you control your sugar intake. Women and children should consume less than 24 grams of sugar per day (6 teaspoons), and men should consume no more than 36 grams (9 tablespoons). If you are on a high-calorie diet, it is recommended that you consume less than 10% of your daily calories.
Daily Value (DV).
%DV appears on food labels to let you know if a serving size contains a high, medium or a low amount of a specific nutrient. The %DV represents a percentage of nutrient recommendations based on a 2,000-calorie diet. You may need to adjust your %DV if you’re on a low-calorie diet or a high-calorie diet. You may also need more or fewer nutrients than the %DV listed, depending on your health status.
If the DV is less than 5%, it means that the serving size of a food is low. A 20% DV indicates that the food’s portion size is high for that nutrient.
A diet that is primarily made up of whole foods without labels, rather than processed, packaged and labeled food, is the best way to achieve superior nutrition and good health. Food labels may not always be accurate but knowing how to read them can help you make better choices at the supermarket.
