How To Read A Food Label?

The key is to strike a healthier balance in our choices of packaged food items and to — quite literally — watch what we eat.

Mar 12, 2024

tl;dr:

Food label literacy empowers you to make informed choices by exposing hidden sugars and unhealthy fats.
Learning to identify the true salt and sodium content of a packaged food item supports heart health and reduces your risk of related illnesses.
Learn how your personal nutritional choices can impact your longevity: Book a batch of blood biomarker assessments + a personal consult with me by clicking right here.

Longevity Lesson

Many of us use the terms nutrition, food, and diet interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings. While nutrition refers to the nutrients needed for life, we typically eat food, not just nutrients. However, making healthy choices isn't always easy. Factors like access to healthy foods and marketing influence our decisions. Scientifically speaking, there is no single ideal food for health and longevity, and different production methods affect nutritional content. Moreover, how we eat matters too! Cultural and traditional practices, like those found in the paleo, ketogenic, Chinese, Ayurvedic, Mediterranean, kosher, halal, and vegetarian diets, can impact our diets more than the specific nutrient composition of those diets. While there is no precise and standardised set of dietary changes that everyone can make to achieve better health spans, evidence indicates that access to good nutrition, immune function, sensory abilities, and stress management may improve overall well-being as we age.

Depending on where you live and under what circumstances, access to good nutrition may seem like a factor that isn’t really in your hands. However, there are some measures we can take to exercise more control over what we put into our bodies. Learning to read food labels is a step in that direction.

But first — what is a food label?

A food label is a mandatory, straightforward means of telling a consumer what their packaged food contains. This information includes details like ingredient lists, quality assurances, nutritional value, and more.

Each country has slightly different standards for food labelling, but the general rules include the following info:

Food Name: The label must display the name or image of the food item.
Ingredient List: Ingredients should be listed in descending order of their weight or volume.
Nutritional Information: Details per 100 grams or serving include energy value (kcal), protein, carbs, sugars, fat (total, saturated, trans), cholesterol, and sodium.
Veg/Non-veg Declaration: A symbol indicating vegetarian or non-vegetarian status must be included, with a green circle for vegetarian and brown (or red) for non-vegetarian.
Food Additives: Additives precede ingredients, listed by class titles or internationally recognised numbers. Specific mentions are needed for colours and flavours added. Examples include phrases like “CONTAINS PERMITTED NATURAL COLOUR(S)” or “CONTAINS ADDED FLAVOUR,” and “ADDED FLAVOUR(S) ”

Learn how your personal nutritional choices can impact your longevity: Book a batch of blood biomarker assessments + a personal consult with me by clicking right here.

Hidden ingredients: Packaged food's best-kept secret

Food and nutrition labels provide vital information about sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fat content in foods, but they don't differentiate between natural sugars and added sugars. While natural sugars in fruits and vegetables are part of a healthy diet, added sugars require closer attention and monitored intake. Here are some clues to look out for the time you check a food label:

Identifying added sugars involves checking for certain indicators in the ingredients list, such as the presence of syrups or words ending in "-ose," like fructose or sucrose.
A mention of the word "sugar" suggests added sugars, as do terms like fruit nectars, honey, and molasses.
Seemingly healthy options like granola bars also often contain added sugars for quick energy but lack substantial nutrition.
Opt for less sweetened yoghurts and be cautious of added sugars in condiments like ketchup and salad dressings.
Manufacturers often replace fat with sugar in products, which may result in higher salt content. When evaluating nutrition labels, check for fat, sugar, and salt amounts, especially those without health claims.
Excess salt in unexpected foods like bakery items, including cakes and bread, can elevate your blood pressure and raise your risk of heart disease or stroke.
Familiarise yourself with various forms of sodium listed on labels. Examples include "salt," "soda," "sodium," and less recognizable terms like sodium guanylate and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Consider the claims made as well as the actual salt content.
Trans fats are commonly found in several everyday foods, including most margarine and shortenings, frying fats used in processed foods and deep-fried fast food items like french fries. Trans fats are also present in any food that mentions "partially hydrogenated oils" among its ingredients (e.g., crackers, cake mixes, snack cakes, chips, doughnuts, etc.)

Source: https://blogs.oncolink.org/2013/09/reading-food-labels/

Understanding the risks of hidden ingredients in packaged foods is crucial for maintaining optimal health. Sugary beverages, a staple in many diets, contribute significantly to obesity and the risk of various health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Similarly, high-intensity sweeteners, often found in processed foods, pose safety concerns, potentially leading to weight gain and glucose intolerance. Salt consumption, particularly in excess, correlates with high blood pressure and cardiovascular disorders, while India's high intake of both salt and sugar elevates the risk of hypertension, obesity, and systemic inflammation. Moreover, excessive intake of saturated fats and cholesterol heightens the risk of heart disease. Additionally, fast food meals rich in saturated fats exacerbate inflammation and may trigger asthma episodes, underscoring the importance of understanding the hidden risks associated with common dietary choices.

Learn how your personal nutritional choices can impact your longevity: Book a batch of blood biomarker assessments + a personal consult with me by clicking right here.

Longevity Lesson

Switching to homemade whole foods seems like the ideal solution to all the risks associated with the current state of general nutrition and dietary practices. However, that's far from realistic. Whether we like it or not, packaged foods do serve a purpose. They offer convenience for busy lifestyles, require minimal preparation and are easily transportable. Additionally, they boast a longer shelf life than fresh foods, reducing food waste. Also, they sometimes come in pre-portioned sizes, which can help with portion control and calorie management. The key is to strike a healthier balance in our choices of packaged food items and to — quite literally — watch what we eat. Here are some simple ways to put your newfound know-how of food labels to good use the next time you restock your pantry.

Check the Ingredient List: A long list of ingredients might indicate that a product isn't the healthiest choice. Ingredients are listed in order of weight, with the main ingredient listed first. Focus on the first few ingredients to understand what the product is primarily made of.
Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup: This sweetener is chemically identical to sugar but derived from corn syrup. Regular consumption can contribute to obesity and other health issues.
Pay Attention to Serving Sizes: Packaged foods often contain multiple servings per container, so be mindful of the calories per serving and the size of each serving.
Swap Processed Foods for Whole Foods: Replace refined grains with whole grain alternatives, such as brown rice, whole grain pasta, bread, and tortillas. Opt for water over sugary beverages like soda, sweet tea, and sports drinks to reduce calorie intake.
Limit Highly Processed Foods: Ready-to-eat meals, packaged snacks, and desserts often contain high levels of saturated fat, sugar, and salt. Read labels and choose healthier options with fewer of these ingredients.
Choose Healthier Snacks: Instead of sugary or salty snacks, opt for nutritious alternatives like almonds, cheese, unsweetened yoghurt, fresh or dried fruits, boiled eggs, or other locally available healthy foods.
Stay Hydrated: Avoid sugary beverages and keep water handy throughout the day. For coffee, skip flavoured syrups and whipped cream, and opt for low-fat or fat-free milk or unsweetened soy beverages.
Reduce Sodium Intake: Avoid consuming high-sodium processed and prepared foods frequently, as they can contribute to health issues. Be mindful of salt content in everyday foods like bread, pizza, and deli meats.

Delving into food labels isn't just about decoding ingredients and stressing about banishing every trace of unhealthy food from our plates. It's about empowering ourselves to make choices that truly nourish our bodies. By understanding the intricacies of nutrition labels, we pave the way for healthier living and long-term wellness. Remember, it's not just about what we eat, but how we approach our dietary decisions. Each mindful and attentive choice takes us a step closer to a vibrant and optimised life.

Learn how your personal nutritional choices can impact your longevity: Book a batch of blood biomarker assessments + a personal consult with me by clicking right here.

Sources:

The Longevity Hack

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