The TRUTH About Food Labels: A Simple 5-Step Guide To Understanding What REALLY Matters

The TRUTH About Food Labels: A Simple 5-Step Guide To Understanding What REALLY Matters

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Truth The Truth About Food Labels The Nutrition Facts Panel was created in the early 90 s and, according to the Food and Drug Administration, was designed to help consumers understand what was in their food and make the best choices possible by listing the nutrients and ingredients right on the label. But over the years, food manufacturers have become clever and creative about hiding unwanted ingredients with tricky names and loopholes in labeling laws. The FDA continues to come out with new and improved updates and changes to the nutrition label only to make it seem as though they have our best interests at heart. The truth is, it s all talk. If they wanted to help people, they would give us the information that really matters. We ve created this guide to tell you exactly what that is, so that YOU can help us share the truth about food labels and stop being fooled once and for all!

Are R YOU Are Responsible (thank goodness) Trusting organizations and food manufacturers that care more about politics and annual sales than what healthy eating really looks like is a recipe for disaster. It s OUR responsibility to be conscious shoppers and truly understand what s in our food. This guide is designed to decode the nutrition facts label in a way that will help you make informed decisions about the food you re putting in your shopping basket and your body. Use this checklist as a handy reminder of what you should be looking for on your food labels, how to avoid unwanted ingredients, and tips to decode common nutrition label claims.

STEP 1: INGREDIENTS ARE EVERYTHING

Ingredients Are Everything Even though diet fads, the media, and even government guidelines make a big deal about counting calories, emphasizing serving sizes, and choosing heart healthy or low-cholesterol options, the #1 most important thing to look for are on a Nutrition Facts Panel is the actual ingredients. What really matters, when it comes to making the best dietary choices available, are the ingredients, their quality, and the order in which they re listed. It s important to realize that ingredients are listed in order of density. So, for example, if that jar of almond butter lists sugar and palm oil before almonds (which should be the primary ingredient), then we suggest you make your own homemade spread or choose a healthier option instead! Here are some other key concepts to understand when it comes to what to look for in your ingredients

1: IN STEP 1: INGREDIENTS ARE EVERYTHING No more than 5. Limit the number of ingredients in a food to 5 or less. Guar what? Avoid products containing ingredients that you need a dictionary to understand (or pronounce). Look for hidden sugars. Double-check for sugars that might be hiding in disguise. Here s a helpful cheat sheet!

1: IN STEP 1: INGREDIENTS ARE EVERYTHING Quality counts. Opt for organic foods over conventional ones, sea salt before table salt, and avoid unhealthy trans fats by not buying foods with hydrogenated oils in them. Avoid foods with artificial flavors, colors, and sugars. These are made from chemicals that have been shown to contribute to numerous dis-eases in the body.

STEP 2: FACTS ABOUT FAT

Facts About Fat Fat got a bad rap in the 80 s and people began to avoid it like the plague. In more recent years, studies have shown that it s the type of fat that matters. New studies have even shown that eating a diet high in fat can help people lose weight while increasing their energy levels and mental performance. So, what is the right kind of fat to look for on the label? Here are a few tips to help you figure that out

2: FA STEP 2: FACTS ABOUT FAT Quality is more important than quantity. A small amount of lowquality fat (like hydrogenated oil) can be more problematic than a large amount of high-quality fat (like organic walnuts or coconut oil) so choose organic, high-quality fats when possible. Your body will thank you!

2: FA STEP 2: FACTS ABOUT FAT Saturated fats are not bad. Our bodies actually need a balance of both saturated and unsaturated fats. Moderate amounts of high-quality, organic saturated fats either from grass-fed/grass-finished meats or plant-based sources, such as coconut oil and cocoa butter, can offer numerous health benefits to the body including brain health, improved cardiovascular health, increased bone density, and a boost to the health of your nervous system!

2: FA STEP 2: FACTS ABOUT FAT Monounsaturated fats are important too! These fats have numerous health benefits to the body including a lower risk for heart disease and stroke, decreased risk of breast cancer, and reduced belly fat. Even though it s unfortunate that these fats aren t listed on nutrition facts labels, you can still choose foods that you know contain these healthy fats. In fact, they can be found in many great sources such as fish, nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, hemp, and liquid vegetable oils.

2: FA STEP 2: FACTS ABOUT FAT Avoid trans fats at all cost! Trans fats are not good guys and can be very destructive to your body. In fact, the groundbreaking Nurse s Health Study of 80,000 women found that just a 2% increase in trans fat consumption increased a woman s risk of heart disease by 93%! New York City completely banned trans fats from restaurants almost 10 years ago! Isn t it time you banned it from your body?

STEP 3: DON T BE FOOLED

Don t Be Fooled Over the years, food manufacturers have gotten very sneaky when it comes to how they label food. Whether it s manipulating the serving sizes or making you think that calories are the number one most important thing on the label, these deceptive practices only serve to increase their bottom line. So don t be fooled. Keep reading so you know what to look for AND what to avoid!

3: DO STEP 3: DON T BE FOOLED Check out the Serving Size and Servings Per Container. The Serving Size is usually set unreasonably low by the manufacturer in order to appear healthier. In other words, the lower the serving size, the lower the calories or fat, so don t be fooled! In addition, the Servings Per Container are often broken up into tiny amounts in order to make the nutrition facts seem healthier!

3: DO STEP 3: DON T BE FOOLED Calories don t matter. Even though food manufacturers would have you believe that calories are EVERYTHING, this number is generated by the amount of calories provided by the macronutrients (fat, protein, carbs) and should not be considered when deciding whether a food item is healthy. In addition, calorie measurements are not an exact science and many labels are off by as much as 20%!

3: DO STEP 3: DON T BE FOOLED Calories don t matter. While we re on the subject, it s also important to remember that the FDA s methods for creating a nutrition facts label do not distinguish between raw or cooked foods, or anything else for that matter, when it comes to calories. Scientists have known for awhile now that calories are broken. If they don t buy into it, why should you?

3: DO STEP 3: DON T BE FOOLED Cholesterol isn t as scary as you may have thought. Recent evidence doesn t support the idea that high levels of cholesterol contribute to heart disease. The Framingham Heart Study, which is the most extensive study on risk factors for cardiovascular disease ever done, found that there is ZERO correlation between large amounts of cholesterol in the diet and the risk of heart disease.

STEP 4: WHAT S NOT ON THE LABEL

What s NOT On The Label Maybe even more important that what s on the Nutrition Facts Panel is what s NOT on it! Harmful ingredients are likely hiding in the foods you re buying and these ingredients can have numerous adverse health effects. Keep reading to discover the things that aren t on the label but that are definitely worth investigating.

4: W STEP 4: WHAT S NOT ON THE LABEL Where are the GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)? These foods have had their DNA artificially modified using genes from other plants, animals, viruses, or bacteria. In the United States, GMOs can be found in about 80% of processed food. Yet, it is not required for food manufacturers to list these ingredients on the label in the US or Canada.

4: W STEP 4: WHAT S NOT ON THE LABEL Where are the GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)? A 2009 study published by the International Journal of Biological Sciences found that GMOs may contribute to weight gain and organ failure in rats. The author of the study called the GM methods used by Monsanto a very serious mistake, dramatic for public health.

4: W STEP 4: WHAT S NOT ON THE LABEL Where are the GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)? Researchers also said that GMOs have never before been an integral part of the human or animal diet and therefore their health consequences for those who consume them, especially over long time periods, are currently unknown. The best ways to avoid them are to buy organic or better yet, choose foods that have the Non GMO Project Verified label.

4: W STEP 4: WHAT S NOT ON THE LABEL Why is this food fortified? Chances are you ve seen Fortified with fiber (or vitamin B, or iron, or something else entirely) on a food label. What the labels aren t telling you is that the chemical process they used to fortify foods completely strip the food of it s natural nutrients and they had to add synthetic versions back into it, which your body doesn t absorb in the same beneficial way. Strange but true.

4: W STEP 4: WHAT S NOT ON THE LABEL Watch out for food additives. These are hidden additives (which means they are unreported by food manufacturers) and contaminants that may have entered the food during some phases of production. They include things like sulfites, food coloring, MSG, and other harmful ingredients.

4: W STEP 4: WHAT S NOT ON THE LABEL Watch out for food additives. People with asthma can react strongly to sulfites, which are substances used to prevent foods from turning brown while other people are sensitive to FD&C Yellow # 5 (as well as many other artificial colors), which can result in itching and hives. And did you know that Monosodium glutamate (MSG) can cause numerous adverse reaction symptoms including body tingling or warmth, and chest pain, in addition to digestive issues to name a few?

4: W STEP 4: WHAT S NOT ON THE LABEL Avoid harmful chemicals. Used during processing and packaging foods, chemicals like BPA from plastic packaging, dyes from boxes, and industrial cleaning products can be harmful to your health. In addition, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, medicines, and chemical pollutants have been found in numerous packaged foods.

STEP 5: FINAL REMINDERS THAT CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

Final Reminders There are just a few final reminders of things you should look for when it comes to food labels. Some of these will shock and surprise you!

5: FI STEP 5: FINAL REMINDERS Don t believe anything you read on the front of a package. Foods can actually say fat free or sugar free and still have fat and sugar in them as long as they total.5 grams or less per serving. In addition, claims like high in fiber or lowers cholesterol are used loosely and can be misleading to the consumer or simply untrue.

5: FI STEP 5: FINAL REMINDERS When choosing animal products, use caution and always look for certified labels and claims such as certified organic, certified humane, and animal welfare approved. Terms like cage-free, heritage, and pasture-raised, have no legal definition and, therefore, can be placed on anything. Additionally, grass-fed, grass-finished, free range, and natural, are tricky claims with loopholes that may or may not be true. Here s a great resource to discover more about these terms!

5: FI STEP 5: FINAL REMINDERS Don t be fooled by natural products. The term Natural is often used as a marketing ploy to trick consumers into buying the product. This term isn t regulated by the FDA when it comes to packaged foods and a recent Consumer Reports study found that more than 50% of consumers seek out products with a "natural" food label, often in the false belief that they re produced without genetically modified organisms, hormones, pesticides, or artificial ingredients.

5: FI STEP 5: FINAL REMINDERS Has your food been irradiated? Spices, dehydrated enzymes, and dried vegetables are among the most heavily treated with more that 100 million times the amount of radiation than the average chest x-ray! Despite over a thousand studies, irradiated food has not been proven to be safe. In fact, many studies have shown that adverse health issues can result from irradiation. To be safe, buy organic!

Question The Status Quo As you can see, there are lots of people trying to pull the wool over your eyes when it comes to food packaging. And again it s up to YOU to question the status quo, rather than celebrate it, and make your own decisions when it comes to the food you put in your body. Help us spread the word about this important issue by sharing this e-book with your friends and family!

Want To Do Even More? If you are as fired up as we are about creating REAL change when it comes to the food industry and health in the world, then we encourage you to think about becoming a Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach! Visit us at www.transformationalnutrition.com today to find out how YOU can get started helping others while doing something you love every single day! CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW!