Our Food Labels
1. Nutrition information is provided for
one serving of a food or beverage. Many products contain more than one serving.
If a serving size is one cup, and you eat two cups, then you must double the
calories, fat, sugar, and other ingredients to get an accurate estimate of how
much you've eaten. If you've eaten a smaller portion than what is on the label,
calculate accordingly.
2. Pay special attention to the amount of
sugars (including carbohydrates) in one serving. This is especially important
if you have diabetes (or other health concerns) that require you to monitor
sugar intake or the glycemic index of foods.
3. Check out the amount of saturated fat, in one serving. Fats contribute to many chronic health problems.
Trans fats are also labeled because they are known to contribute to "bad
cholesterol," which contributes to heart disease. Choose foods that are
low in these fats. However, some foods, like Olive Oil, Coconut oil, Avocados and nuts, have high fat content, but
the source of fat is actually good for the body--it's not a saturated or a
trans fat.
4. Be aware that "0" does not
mean zero! It means less than 5% per serving!
5. In addition to understanding the
nutrition label, take a look at the list of ingredients. If you cannot
pronounce the words that are listed on a food label, it's likely coming from
chemicals and processed (unnatural) elements that are not healthy for the body.
Some of the items you want to avoid include:
o Preservatives including BHA, BHT,
brominated products
o GMO - genetically modified organisms,
common in corn and soy derivatives
o Dextrose
o Xanthan gum
o Hydrocarbons (pesticides PCB, DDE, DDT)
o Soy, Canola, and cottonseed oil
o Dyes (e.g., yellow dye no. 5,
tartrazine)
o MSG - monosodium glutamate (common in
canned foods and Asian cooking)
o Food allergens - if you or family
members have a known allergy to peanuts, wheat, soy, or gluten
If you are in a hurry and can't take the time to read labels, be
sure to avoid packaged (bag, box, or bottle) foods. Instead, buy fresh foods
and "eat a rainbow everyday" (e.g., fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and
leafy greens). Also, choose water, tea, or raw juices with no sugar added.
And, did you know ... in July 2015 the government proposed a new
nutrition information panel for food labeling.
Food for Thought. . .
"Variability is the law of life and as no two faces are the
same, so no two bodies are alike, and no two individuals react alike and behave
alike under the abnormal conditions which we know as disease."
- William Osler
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