{"id":4100,"date":"2023-08-31T15:35:17","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T15:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fitadelphia.com\/?p=4100"},"modified":"2023-08-31T15:35:17","modified_gmt":"2023-08-31T15:35:17","slug":"11-ways-you-never-realized-youre-reading-food-labels-wrong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fitadelphia.com\/index.php\/2023\/08\/31\/11-ways-you-never-realized-youre-reading-food-labels-wrong\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Ways You Never Realized You\u2019re Reading Food Labels Wrong"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"MarissaMarissa Laliberte<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Registered dietitians and nutritionists break down common misleading nutrition labels and offer tips for food shopping.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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How to read nutrition labels (correctly)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you stare at a food or nutrition label at the supermarket, it can be overwhelming to look through the product and the nutrition facts. Buzzwords like \u201cfree-range,\u201d \u201call-natural,\u201d or \u201cfat-free\u201d all sound like healthy choices\u2014sometimes they are, but sometimes they are also misleading. The truth is some food companies will choose to highlight one or two ingredients to persuade you (the consumer) to buy the product and hopefully not read through the rest of the ingredients. This makes food labels confusing and misleading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, to understand and read them correctly, we spoke with two registered dietitians and nutritionists from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics who give us the breakdown of what popular nutrition label words mean<\/a> and tips for smart food shopping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You assume fat- and sugar-free products are healthy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Depending on your dietary needs, cutting back on sugar or fat could help you reach your health goals. But be careful: Reduced-fat products tend to have extra sodium or sugar, and lower sugar often means more fat or salt, says Libby Mills, RDN, culinary nutritionist for Villanova University\u2019s MacDonald Center for Obesity Prevention and Education, professor of nutrition at Neumann University, and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. \u201cWhatever they\u2019re taking out, they typically add something else to add flavor,\u201d she says. Plus, you might actually find yourself more satisfied with a full-fat product. For instance, if just a small handful of regular potato chips kills your craving but you could polish off a family-sized bag of baked chips easily, stick with the fattier version. Here are more \u201chealthy\u201d foods you should actually avoid<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You don\u2019t note the serving size<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you hunker down with a bag of chips, you could be blowing way past the recommended serving size, meaning you\u2019re eating more calories and fat than you thought, says Jen Bruning, MS, RDN, LDN, spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For an easy, no-measure trick, she recommends noting the number of servings in a package, then eyeballing how much a serving would be, like half of a two-portion bag. Be extra careful with packages that look like a single serving. \u201cEven with small items like candy bars, it\u2019s important to see how many servings are in your hand,\u201d she says. \u201cJust because it can fit in your hand or you can eat it in one sitting doesn\u2019t mean it fits one serving size by nutrition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You think \u201call-natural\u201d and \u201corganic\u201d are the same<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Certified organic products have gone through an application and been inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make sure they meet the criteria\u2014organic plants don\u2019t use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, and meats are from animals that eat organic feed and haven\u2019t been given antibiotics or hormones. However, the label \u201call-natural\u201d doesn\u2019t have such strict guidelines. \u201cAll-natural doesn\u2019t really mean a lot to us,\u201d says Mills. \u201cWe know that by FDA standards it means they\u2019ve been minimally processed, but to what degree that \u2018minimally\u2019 means to each manufacturer may be a little different.\u201d Check instead for specific labels you care about, like antibiotic- or GMO-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You imagine free-range animals frolicking in fields<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Free-range animals haven\u2019t been raised in cages, but that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re free to wander outside whenever they want. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t guarantee that the animal has access to the great wilderness outdoors at all. They may be in a roofed building their entire life,\u201d says Mills. \u201cThey may have a door to have some sunlight access, but it doesn\u2019t guarantee every animal gets to go out.\u201d If you\u2019re wondering, there is a difference between cage-free and free-range<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You think all sugar is created equal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sure, foods like milk and fruit contain natural sugars, but they also come packed with other important nutrients. On the other hand, added sugar like table sugar, corn syrup, and honey are basically empty calories. \u201cWhen making a judgment of too much or too little sugar, it\u2019s deceptive,\u201d says Mills. \u201cYou have to look at the actual ingredients in the product.\u201d If sugar is listed in the first half of the ingredients, you can bet it\u2019ll pack a big caloric punch, she says, but sugar in the last half isn\u2019t as significant. Read about these signs you may have a sugar addiction<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You think all wheat bread is a superfood<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seek out breads labeled 100 percent whole wheat or 100 percent whole grain to pack the biggest health punch. During processing, grain kernels are separated into three parts: germ, endosperm, and bran. Most products lose most of the bran and some germ\u2014which contain important vitamins, protein, fats, and fiber\u2014but whole grains keep the amounts intact. But look closely: if a label just says \u201cwhole grain\u201d without specifying 100 percent, it could contain other, more refined flours, too. \u201cIf it says contains whole grains, that means somewhere in that ingredient list you\u2019ll find all three parts of a whole grain,\u201d says Bruning. \u201cIt might be left whole or processed into flour, but it\u2019s there.\u201d The same goes for multigrain bread, which just means it has different types of grains, regardless of how processed they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You assume gluten-free is healthier<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unless you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance<\/a>, there\u2019s no need to cut gluten from your diet. In fact, your waistline could actually take a hit if you replace regular bread with gluten-free versions. Gluten helps bread keep its shape, so manufacturers add ingredients like corn syrup and sugar to get the right texture. \u201cA lot of bread products have a lot of extra fat compared to non-gluten-free products,\u201d says Mills. \u201cGluten-free folks really need to watch for it in a big way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You don\u2019t look at the type of fat breakdown<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Total fat is listed on a nutrition label because fat has more calories per gram than carbs or protein, so high-fat foods tend to be high-calorie, says Bruning. But scan down a bit more and you\u2019ll see it broken down into saturated fats and trans fats. \u201cThose are called out because saturated fats, and especially trans fats, are linked to higher incidents of heart disease,\u201d says Bruning. Some manufacturers also choose to list \u201cgood\u201d monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, which are actually beneficial for your heart and cholesterol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You fall for healthy-looking packaging<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just because a product has the word \u201charvest\u201d or \u201csimple\u201d doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s earned its health halo. Take a deeper look at its ingredients and nutrition to decide for yourself\u2014it could still be high in calories, fat, or sugar. \u201cWe used to have to spend all our days hunting and gathering food, and somehow we think we don\u2019t have to spend any time anymore,\u201d says Mills. \u201cTurn the package over and really know what you\u2019re getting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You take percent daily value as law<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The percent daily value you see next to vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients is based on the average diet, not your individual needs. \u201cPercent daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, which is across the spectrum what we call average for healthy adults,\u201d says Bruning. \u201cMany fall into a range of more or less than that.\u201d You probably won\u2019t run the risk of overdosing on a vitamin from food sources, but if you think you\u2019re falling short, ask your doctor if you should start taking a supplement. Now, check out these vitamin myths you need to stop believing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sources<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n