Checking Food Labels

We all want to live longer by choosing healthier foods. You can make small changes to improve your health every day!

If you're anything like me, I like to think I'm choosing healthy foods but when looking at the nutrition facts, some foods aren't as healthy as they seem.

Reading food labels can be challenging but it is so important to look for certain things as you pick up a packaged (processed) item at the grocery store.

The main things I look at on a food label

Calories - Out of my own curiosity the first thing I look at is how many calories are in each serving of the item I just picked up. I don't count my calories but I do like to look at this number to really see if it is something worth eating for the amount of calories it offers per serving. For full disclosure I do not eat healthy 100% of the time. I do enjoy some of the unhealthy foods here and there. But it's good to see what you are putting into your body. If you start to feel tired more often or your skin starts to break out regularly you can look at the foods you are consuming and about figure out what is causing these issues. To keep a healthy relationship with food, I don't allow the amount of calories I see on a label keep me from eating something or make me feel guilty for eating it. I work on smaller portions or making it up by choosing fruits or vegetables a little extra on those days.

Fat - Some people feel as if they are to consume ZERO fats in their diet. The correct answer is the types of fats you are consuming. There are good fats and bad fats. So when I look at the food label and see the total amount of fats per servings, I then look at whether it contains good or bad fats. Bad fats: trans fats. Good fats: poly or mono unsaturated fats. In-between: saturated fats. This is a whole new post topic I will share at a later time to keep on track with what we are looking at today.

Carbohydrates - Carbs also get a bad reputation. Not all carbs are bad. Say that with me..."Not all carbs are bad." Your body NEEDS #carbohydrates to function. In fact, carbs are your body's GO-TO source for energy. When you consider good carbs, they are mostly plant based like vegetables, quinoa, legumes, whole grains, oats, and beans. These are digested slowly and released for energy gradually. The unhealthy carbs are more processed where the natural fiber they once had has been removed or changed. This includes sugar-sweetened beverages, white breads, pastries and other things made with white flour.

Protein - I always like to see how much protein a food contains especially if I am not consuming a meat with that meal. We need protein to build lean muscle mass, help us feel full longer and reduce muscle soreness after a workout. Getting a total of 20-30g of protein at every meal is a good start to see changes in your muscle mass and the way your clothes fit. This number will vary depending upon your goals and what fits best for your #lifestyle.

Sugar - Next I look at the amount of added sugar in the foods I'm purchasing. When your diet is high in added sugars you put yourself at risk for developing many chronic #diseases. It's fine to treat yourself but when it occurs on a regular basis the chance of developing a chronic disease is higher. When looking at a serving, I want my number of sugars to be in the single digits (below 10g). Eating fruits you will consume natural sugars, these are good sugars that will gradually be released in the bloodstream and can help reduce the risk of diabetes and insulin resistance. The main food that comes to mind that people typically think they are eating "healthy" but aren't is #yogurt. Many people buy yogurt and think it's healthy but never take a look at the food label. This is true even when the yogurt is labeled as 'Greek Yogurt' and has so much added sugar. My favorite brands are Dannon Greek Light and Fit or Oikos. These typically have 6-8g of sugars, where some other brands will have 17-22g of added sugars.

Ingredients - The less ingredients listed on the label the better the food is for you. It has less processed/added items to that food. When the shelf life is longer it has more harmful things in the food that help it keep its shelf life. Bread and crackers are two foods that you need to be looking at all the ingredients. You want to look for whole grain breads and crackers that have the first ingredient listed as "whole grain" or "whole wheat." The front of the package can say it's whole grain/multigrain and make you think you are buying a healthy item, but when looking at the ingredient label they make it with "enriched" or "bleached" flour. This means the wheat flour has been stripped of it's natural fiber completely or changed. Another ingredient you want to skim for is High Fructose Corn Syrup. This ingredient is one of the leading causes of obesity and health complications that people aren't looking for in the foods they purchase. It's a sweetener commonly used to sweeten beverages, jams, breads, and so much more!

Summary

We all know pastries, fried and fast foods aren't healthy for us. Just because the front label on a food says it's healthy, it's not always accurate. Food labels are the answer in making an informed decision when it comes to improving your health.