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All that glitters is not gold. Otherwise we\u2019d all be filthy rich.<\/p>\nAll that glitters is not gold. Otherwise we\u2019d all be filthy rich.<\/p>\n
Similarly, all those healthy food products you buy aren\u2019t actually as healthy as the food label would make you believe. Otherwise we wouldn\u2019t have quite so many health concerns.<\/p>\n
Food labels can trick you. So how do you spot a liar?<\/p>\n
1. Lightly sweetened:<\/strong> How many times have you been delighted to see a product labeled like that? But make sure to check the label. Since FDA has no definite standards for what is \u2018lightly sweetened\u2019, chances are that the product could contain small amounts of different natural or artificial sweeteners and still be labeled as \u2018lightly sweetened\u2019.<\/p>\n Look out for ingredients like glucose, sucrose, sucralose, fructose, invert syrup, high fructose corn syrup and malt syrup are all different forms of sugar. The lesser you see these ingredients, the better the chances that they are really \u2018lightly sweetened\u2019.<\/p>\n 2. All Natural Ingredients:<\/strong> Before you grab the pack delighted to find something made with natural products, remember to check the ingredients label. The lesser the ingredients listed, the better are the chances that it contains more natural products. Most times, it means that it does not contain many processed ingredients, artificial flavor or colors.<\/p>\n However, you should keep in mind that FDA has no specific definition for this label. This means that the food item could be \u2018lightly processed\u2019 instead of \u2018highly processed\u2019 and still be sold as a natural product.<\/p>\n 3. \u2018Made with\u2019:<\/strong> Some food products have labels like \u2018Made with whole grains\u2019 or other healthy food. But since FDA does not require the manufacturers to spell out how much, it is possible that it is present only in small quantities. There is an easy way to check this claim \u2013 see if the ingredient is at or at least near the top of the list of ingredients.<\/p>\n 4. Low\/Light\/Reduced:<\/strong> While it may suggest that they have low levels of fat, sugar or salt, in reality, it could mean that the product might have a lesser amount of the ingredient than what is found in the original variety. For instance, a food product with just 25 percent lesser salt\/sodium can have a \u2018reduced\u2019 label. If possible, check the original and the \u2018reduced\u2019 version to see the difference.<\/p>\n 5. \u2018Free\u2019:<\/strong> Any product labeled \u2018free of sugar\/fat\/sodium\u2019 can in fact have very little quantity in the food product, based on FDA guidelines. It could mean that the product has about 0.5 grams fat, 0.5 milligrams sodium or 5 calories despite the claim that the ingredient is absent!<\/p>\n 6. \u2018High in fiber\u2019:<\/strong> This is yet another that can be deceptive. According to FDA, any food can be labeled as \u2018High in Fiber\u2019 as long as it contains at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. But this fiber need not be from a natural source. Look out for products that list whole grains in the first few ingredients.<\/p>\n What\u2019s this link about? Oh, nothing \u2013 it\u2019s just a method to easily lose that extra weight that\u2019s been bothering you. See? It really is something, after all…<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n