Reading food labels can be overwhelming, especially when deciding if a product is healthy. This guide will help you understand what to look for on food labels and how to use that information to make healthier choices.
Choose foods that are low in sodium.
Sodium is a preservative and an additive. It can be found in many foods, including processed and fast food. Sodium is important for health, but too much sodium can be harmful. The Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting the intake of sodium to 2,300 mg/day for healthy individuals ages 14 and older; 1,500 mg/day for adults ages 51-70 years; 1,200 mg/day for adults 71 years or older; African Americans age 50 years or older; persons with hypertension (high blood pressure); diabetes mellitus or chronic kidney disease; and all children under age two years old.[2]
Sodium is listed on food labels as "salt" or simply "sodium."
Look for whole grains on the ingredients list.
Whole grains are digested more slowly, which helps keep you feeling full longer. They're also packed with fiber and other nutrients that promote health, including B vitamins and magnesium. Examples of whole grains include:
- Brown rice
- Oatmeal (steel-cut oats are best)
- Quinoa
The FDA requires food manufacturers to identify ingredients by their common or usual name on packaging labels--including any words used to describe an ingredient that indicates its source or method of production, such as "whole grain" or "organic." To determine whether a food contains whole grains, look at its packaging label for any mention of "whole grain" along with words like wheat berries or oats kernels; these terms mean that part of the grain has been processed into flour, but some pieces remain intact within the product itself--this means high fiber content! Organic foods are grown without pesticides; buying organic whenever possible helps reduce your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals while supporting sustainable farming practices worldwide! Conventional produce may contain nutrients too--but they're likely sprayed heavily with pesticides during growth cycles, so buy organic whenever possible!
Go organic whenever possible.
Organic foods are grown without pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), or synthetic fertilizers. They're not processed with irradiation and cannot be genetically modified.
Organic farmers use more sustainable practices to grow their crops, such as rotating crops and using natural fertilizers like manure from animals raised on the farm. This reduces erosion while increasing soil fertility over time. Organic farming also protects biodiversity by providing habitat for insects and birds that help control pests without chemicals or genetic modification of crops- a practice called Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
Avoid artificial sweeteners and preservatives.
Artificial sweeteners are bad for your health and can cause many issues, including migraines, headaches, and cancer. Preservatives are also bad for you because they can cause allergies and other health issues. Read food labels as often as possible to know what's in the food you buy. The ingredients may change at any time without warning; manufacturers change them for various reasons like cost-effectiveness or availability of ingredients at different times of year (for example, strawberries are only available during certain months). The chosen foods should be low in sodium since excess levels have been linked to high blood pressure, which could lead to heart disease or stroke later on!
Read labels as often as possible to see if the ingredients change.
As you read the list of ingredients, look for changes in the order of ingredients. If a product has been reformulated, it may indicate that the company is trying to hide something. For example, if an ice cream brand switches from milk to milk powder and sweeteners, it could be because they're trying to make their product seem healthier than it is.
This doesn't mean that every time you see an ingredient change on a label, you should automatically assume that this means something negative; however, if there are multiple changes in the order of ingredients over time (i.e., "natural" sweeteners replacing artificial ones), this could signal that this particular food item isn't as healthy as it used to be or was advertised at first glance when compared against similar products made by competitors who haven't changed any ingredients yet!
Try to avoid refined flour products.
Avoid refined flour products if you're trying to lose or maintain your current weight. These include pasta, bread, and other baked goods made with white flour.
These foods are high in sugar and low in fiber, which means they can cause a spike in your blood sugar levels and an inevitable crash that leaves you tired and lethargic. In addition to these negative effects (not to mention the extra calories), eating foods made with refined flour can make you feel hungry again soon after eating because they don't provide long-lasting energy or satisfaction as whole grains do.
Always read the ingredients list first before looking at the nutrition facts panel on food labels.
The list of ingredients is the most important part of any food label, so always read it first. The ingredients list gives you a good idea of what's in your food and can help you determine whether or not a product is healthy.
The nutrition facts panel, on the other hand, isn't as reliable at giving an accurate representation of how healthy a product may be because it doesn't include all possible information about its nutritional value--it only shows some basic facts like calories per serving size and servings per container (which could be misleading if there are multiple types of serving sizes).
The more you know how to read food labels, the better you'll be able to choose healthy foods for your family's diet.
- Read the ingredients list first before looking at the nutrition facts panel on food labels.
- Look for words like "whole grain" and "high fiber." These are good things to see when reading a product's label! You should also pay attention to serving sizes--if they're too small (like 1/2 cup), it could mean that there is little nutrition in each serving of that item anyway.*
- Choose foods that are low in sodium (salt). If a product has less than 140 mg per serving, it qualifies as having no salt added; if it has 5% or less by weight than 140 mg per serving, then it qualifies as low sodium.*
- Avoid foods containing hydrogenated oils because these have trans fats linked with heart disease and stroke risk factors such as high cholesterol levels.*
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many different ways that food labels can help you make healthier choices. The more you know how to read them, the better you'll be able to choose foods that will give your family a healthy diet without breaking the bank!
