Labels: Behind the Words
What is the issue here?
Popular phrases - like non-fat or sugar free - are used on food labels to quickly sum up what is in your food. However, these labels can sometimes be misleading.
Why is this important?
Simply this - you should know what you've been promised on every package you pick up!
How does this effect you?
Companies use keywords to sell their foods and grab buyers' attention. In order to be an informed consumer, here are five terms used on labels that don't mean what you think.
1."0 trans fat" products, while containing zero trans fat, may contain more saturated fats as a substitute. Although it may seem that a product without trans-fat is better for you, the fat content may still be high. Don't rely on the "0 trans fat" label alone to judge the heart-healthiness of the food.
2."Free range", which is a label monitored by the USDA, applies only to poultry used in meat, not eggs. In order for the chicken to be free-range, it must have access to an outdoor space - there are no regulation for how long the animal went outside, or what that outdoor space even looked like. Consequently, there is no way to tell if the chicken even went outside! (Note: free-range isn't regulated for pigs, cattle, or egg laying chickens.)
3."Made with whole grains" does not mean that the product has a substantial amount of whole grains. Bread, for instance, may contain whole wheat flour and be dyed a carmel color to mimic the color of whole grains. But whole wheat flour may be outweighed by unbleached wheat flour. The only way to be sure that your "whole grain" bread actually contains a fair of amount of whole grains is by checking the ingredients. (Note: the ingredients are listed in order, starting with the most used ingredient down to the least used).
4."Made with real fruit" does not mean that real fruit is contained in the product. Instead, it will most likely only contain "fruit juice concentrate", which is made from sugar and corn syrup. Once again, checking the ingredients is the only assured way of knowing what is actually in your food.
5."Natural" is a label used on meat and chicken products that means no artificial colors or flavors, preservatives, or artificial ingredients are contained in the product. However, under this USDA definition, this does NOT mean that the actual animal used to created the product was fed antibiotics, hormones, or ate food that contained artificial ingredients or preservatives.
Popular phrases - like non-fat or sugar free - are used on food labels to quickly sum up what is in your food. However, these labels can sometimes be misleading.
Why is this important?
Simply this - you should know what you've been promised on every package you pick up!
How does this effect you?
Companies use keywords to sell their foods and grab buyers' attention. In order to be an informed consumer, here are five terms used on labels that don't mean what you think.
1."0 trans fat" products, while containing zero trans fat, may contain more saturated fats as a substitute. Although it may seem that a product without trans-fat is better for you, the fat content may still be high. Don't rely on the "0 trans fat" label alone to judge the heart-healthiness of the food.
2."Free range", which is a label monitored by the USDA, applies only to poultry used in meat, not eggs. In order for the chicken to be free-range, it must have access to an outdoor space - there are no regulation for how long the animal went outside, or what that outdoor space even looked like. Consequently, there is no way to tell if the chicken even went outside! (Note: free-range isn't regulated for pigs, cattle, or egg laying chickens.)
3."Made with whole grains" does not mean that the product has a substantial amount of whole grains. Bread, for instance, may contain whole wheat flour and be dyed a carmel color to mimic the color of whole grains. But whole wheat flour may be outweighed by unbleached wheat flour. The only way to be sure that your "whole grain" bread actually contains a fair of amount of whole grains is by checking the ingredients. (Note: the ingredients are listed in order, starting with the most used ingredient down to the least used).
4."Made with real fruit" does not mean that real fruit is contained in the product. Instead, it will most likely only contain "fruit juice concentrate", which is made from sugar and corn syrup. Once again, checking the ingredients is the only assured way of knowing what is actually in your food.
5."Natural" is a label used on meat and chicken products that means no artificial colors or flavors, preservatives, or artificial ingredients are contained in the product. However, under this USDA definition, this does NOT mean that the actual animal used to created the product was fed antibiotics, hormones, or ate food that contained artificial ingredients or preservatives.
