How to read a food label

How to read a food label

Reading food labels is one of the core things you will need to learn and do to help you lose weight. 

Check the food label before you buy

Food labels have several parts, including the front panel, Nutrition Facts, and ingredient list.

Fig 1

The front panel often tells you if nutrients have been added—for example, “iodized salt” lets you know that iodine has been added, and “enriched pasta” (or “enriched” grain of any type) means that thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, iron, and folic acid have been added.*

The ingredient list tells you what’s in the food, including any nutrients, fats, or sugars that have been added. The ingredients are listed in descending order by weight.

See fig 1 to learn how to read the Nutrition Facts. Use the Nutrition Facts to see if a food is a good source of a nutrient or to compare similar foods—for example, to find which brand of frozen dinner is lower in saturated fat, or which kind of breakfast cereal contains more added sugar.

Look at the % Daily Value (%DV) column to see whether a food is high or low in nutrients. If you want to limit a nutrient (such as fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium), try to choose foods with a lower %DV. If you want to consume more of a nutrient (such as calcium, other vitamins and minerals or fiber), try to choose foods with a higher %DV.

As a guide, foods with 5%DV or less contribute a small amount of that nutrient to your eating pattern, while those with 20% or more contribute a large amount. Remember, Nutrition Facts serving sizes may differ from those used in the Food Guide Pyramid (WHAT COUNTS AS A SERVING). For example, 2 ounces of dry macaroni yields about 1 cup cooked, or two (1/2 cup) Pyramid servings.

*Enriched: means that thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, iron, and folic acid have been added.  This is usually in your grains.  It means that it is VERY PROCESSED.  They took a healthy grain, STRIPPED all the healthy stuff from it (so that it has a longer shelf life) then added cheap nutrients (that don't spoil) back into it.  

Read  HOW TO READ A NUTRITION FACTS LABEL or more in-depth

 FDA Nutrition label facts

WebMD nutrition label facts

 Stop sign labeling:  In Chile (2016), and, because of its success, Peru (2019), Uruguay (2020), Israel (2020), and perhaps other countries such as Mexico, have already implemented the stop sign labeling.  Are you asking yourself why you have not seen this on the news?

Does it work?  "The desired outcome is that these labels cause consumers to stop and think before purchasing and overeating, and ultimately help change eating patterns. Even though the label was just recently implemented, it has been reported that nearly 40% of Chilean citizens use the labels as a purchasing guide. Additionally, children are also said to be responding well to the logos."

"More than 1,500 products have been reformulated to avoid carrying the black stop sign. For example, Nestlé has taken the lead and reformulated 6,500 products, globally, for better health and nutrition.'  Read the full article: https://dirt-to-dinner.com/a-stop-sign-for-obesity/

Traffic light labeling has been "voluntarily" implemented in the UK.  Only about 2/3 of products have the traffic light label (I say, if it doesn't have it, don't buy it, because if it wasn't unhealthy, it would have it)!  It is the same as above, but instead of only labeling the bad stuff, it labels Energy, Fats, Saturated Fats, Sugars and Salt.  Energy is the only thing I have a problem with, as sugar gives you energy (at a cost of an energy 'crash' when the sugar is depleted.

 The USA has no front of package label.  They are just starting to plan to put an 'FDA Healthy' label on products..  Why are they trying this label instead of the stop sign or stop light, you ask?  In my opinion, very few products will carry the label, and therefore you won't have 'choices' like people in other countries are making.  Less than 10%** of products would be able to carry the label.

This is what the US is really doing for labeling of food: canada-wants-clearer-warnings-on-junk-food-the-us-is-using-nafta-to-stop-them   They are trying to stop Mexico too!

Confusing?  here is the World Map labeling chart (I am shocked and amazed) Scroll down the page until you see the map.  

 ** This is a total guess by deduction.  76.9% of purchases are processed foods, and 61% are highly processed.  The 61% wont be healthy.  Most of the 76.9% wont be healthy.