How to Read and Understand Food Labels
Ingredients to Avoid
Processed foods are not required to identify GMO ingredients.
High fructose corn syrup and soy are very likely to be GMO foods.
High fructose corn syrup and soy are very likely to be GMO foods.
My roommate, who makes a concerted effort to eat well, brought home a pecan pie the other day. I looked at the label and wondered why in the world she bought it. The first ingredient was sugar, the second brown sugar—not cane juice, or even organic sugar—just sugar.
So I asked her how something so unhealthy ended up in our fridge. “It’s organic!” she said.
I didn’t bother to argue. I just looked closely at the label the next time I opened the fridge. It was made with organic eggs and organic wheat flour, but out of ten or twelve ingredients, those two were the only organic ones. And this supposedly organic pie was made with partially hydrogenated oils!
The first thing to remember when it comes to reading labels is to read the whole thing. Ignore labels on the front of the packaging that say natural or organic. Read the actual ingredients. When it comes to processed foods, if it says it’s natural, ignore the claim. It means nothing. If it says it’s organic, it doesn’t have to be 100% organic unless it says it is. Remember processed foods can be labeled organic if only 80% of the ingredients are organic. And organic junk food is still junk food.
There are plenty of people who will argue about how you should limit calories, fats, sodium, and more. Our stance is a little different. We think you should eliminate processed foods altogether. Why? Because they are dead foods, void of natural nutrition. Oh, they may be enriched with artificial vitamins and minerals, but what are you really eating?
Most of our processed foods include high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils (trans fats) and MSG. Avoid them all—always. And learn the multiple names they use for MSG to try and sneak it past you.
Big business has been able to shove their agenda through the FDA—genetically modified foods are not labeled. If you want to avoid GMOs, and we hope you do, don’t eat any processed food unless it is labeled 100% organic. And remember—make
So I asked her how something so unhealthy ended up in our fridge. “It’s organic!” she said.
I didn’t bother to argue. I just looked closely at the label the next time I opened the fridge. It was made with organic eggs and organic wheat flour, but out of ten or twelve ingredients, those two were the only organic ones. And this supposedly organic pie was made with partially hydrogenated oils!
The first thing to remember when it comes to reading labels is to read the whole thing. Ignore labels on the front of the packaging that say natural or organic. Read the actual ingredients. When it comes to processed foods, if it says it’s natural, ignore the claim. It means nothing. If it says it’s organic, it doesn’t have to be 100% organic unless it says it is. Remember processed foods can be labeled organic if only 80% of the ingredients are organic. And organic junk food is still junk food.
There are plenty of people who will argue about how you should limit calories, fats, sodium, and more. Our stance is a little different. We think you should eliminate processed foods altogether. Why? Because they are dead foods, void of natural nutrition. Oh, they may be enriched with artificial vitamins and minerals, but what are you really eating?
Most of our processed foods include high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils (trans fats) and MSG. Avoid them all—always. And learn the multiple names they use for MSG to try and sneak it past you.
Big business has been able to shove their agenda through the FDA—genetically modified foods are not labeled. If you want to avoid GMOs, and we hope you do, don’t eat any processed food unless it is labeled 100% organic. And remember—make
processed foods the exception, not the rule. Fresh food is better for you and better for the environment. You’ll make your body happy if your diet consists of 80% or more fresh, raw, organic fruits and vegetables and you’ll find you aren’t throwing a ton of packaging into the landfill each year.
So yeah—our best advice is to avoid the label issue altogether by avoiding that processed food. But if you are going to eat it, read the label carefully and choose wisely. Don’t pay too much attention to anything but the ingredients list. It’s not so important how many grams of saturated fat it has, it matters where the fat comes from (for instance, some saturated fats are very good for you, others are very bad). If you don’t understand any of the ingredients—pass. Buy something better. Go organic!
Here is a short list of Ingredients and Phrases to Avoid:
So yeah—our best advice is to avoid the label issue altogether by avoiding that processed food. But if you are going to eat it, read the label carefully and choose wisely. Don’t pay too much attention to anything but the ingredients list. It’s not so important how many grams of saturated fat it has, it matters where the fat comes from (for instance, some saturated fats are very good for you, others are very bad). If you don’t understand any of the ingredients—pass. Buy something better. Go organic!
Here is a short list of Ingredients and Phrases to Avoid:
- Artificial Colors
- Artificial Flavorings
- Artificial Sweeteners (Acesulfame-K, Aspartame, Equal®, NutraSweet®, Saccharin, Sweet’n Low®, Sucralose, Splenda® & Sorbitol)
- Benzoate Preservatives
- (BHT, BHA, TBHQ)
- Brominated Vegetable Oil(BVO)
- High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
- MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)
- Partially Hydrogenated Oil
- Propyl Galate
- Sodium Nitrate or Sodium Nitrite
- Sugar
- Enriched or bleached flour
Feel free to add to the list in the comment section below!
Corn Syrup
The makers of high fructose corn syrup are asking the USDA if they can change its name to corn sugar.How many people who have learned the dangers of HFCS will be fooled?
Do you know the dangers? Read more about high fructose corn syrup:
High Fructose Corn Syrup, A Not So Sweet Surprise
High Fructose Corn Syrup, A sweet Surprise?Names for MSG
The Truth in Labeling.org states that there are more than 40 different ingredients that contain the chemical in monosodium glutamate—processed free glutamic acid. Follow the link for an education in finding MSG on labels.Many people are sensitive to MSG and exhibit symptoms including migraines, asthma, irregular heartbeat, diarrhea mood and behavior changes and more. But don’t think that you’re safe from the harmful effects of MSG if you don’t show sensitivity to it. Among other things, MSG has been linked to brain lesions, seizures, stroke, neoroendocrine disorders, morbid obesity, ALS, and Alzheimer’s.
MSG is a flavor enhancer. It is used to make tasteless food taste good. That fact in itself should be a warning.
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