Healthy food guide: how to read food labels

For a beginner in proper nutrition marketers are the main enemies. Since it is precisely them that food manufacturers turn to in the hope of selling more quickly and more of their goods.

And the marketers are doing a great job. As a result, we see more and more products labeled "non-GMO", "natural", "children's", "eco", "bio", "dietary" on store shelves. etc. And then the product sells even faster, because not every one of us spends our time studying labels.

How to make the right choice and buy healthy food? In the article estet-portal.com you will learn how to read food labels correctly.

Label appearance

To know for sure that the products that fall on your plate are really of high quality, you need to learn how to read the label that the product is equipped with correctly. In Ukraine, as in other countries, there are requirements for food producers. Let's find out what inscriptions you should always pay attention to?
Any product in the store has a label that includes not only the name, but also the full composition, as well as the amount of KBJU per 100 g. It is worth buying products with labels that say everything.

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Also pay attention to the expiration date, which is definitely not worth going beyond. Often in stores, on the first row of shelves, they lay out goods whose expiration date is already expiring or even worse has already ended. So don't be lazy, look at the date and, if necessary, look deep into the shelves to grab fresh merchandise.

Common product labeling "Natural" is not approved by anyone, and is used by manufacturers as an advertising slogan.

Any label must include information about the composition of the product. To understand whether to buy or not, you need to read what exactly it consists of. When reading the composition, pay attention to the order of the components, they are arranged in descending order of their mass fraction in the finished product.

The first two or three positions – components that form the basis for the manufacture of this product. If at the beginning of the list you see a mention of sugar or its substitute, then it is better to refuse such products.

Pay attention to labels when choosing meat and sausage products. If in the first positions you do not see such a component as meat, but only at the end of the list, this product may be harmful to your health.

Turn on your inner anti-marketer, flip the packaging and study the ingredients.

Food labels: how to read ingredients

1. Cholesterol Free/Sugar Free

Often the advertising slogan "no cholesterol" placed precisely on those products that never contained it. For example, there is no cholesterol in any vegetable oil, as it is a product of exclusively animal origin.

But the fact that a product does not contain cholesterol does not make it healthier. It is not found in cheap margarines, confectionery fats, because they are often made from vegetable oils. But they are still high in calories and contain dangerous trans fats.

The inscription "Sugar free" always means the presence of a natural or chemical sweetener, or products may be based on fructose.

Corn sugar, sucrose, maltose, raw sugar, honey, corn syrup, molasses, sugarcane, fruit concentrate – it's all sugar. Its content must be carefully checked and controlled. Even in "natural" yogurt sugar syrup is often added, and we thoughtlessly buy them without reading the ingredients.
Pay close attention to the ingredients of muesli, cereal bars, products for children, cereals - manufacturers often add a lot of sugar there.

2. Trans fats

The mention of them on the label should alert you, especially if they are close to the top of the list. This component is formed during the manufacture of margarine from vegetable oil, and even more often from palm oil. Remember – this component is your enemy number 1. In addition to excess weight, eating products with this component will harm your health.

Trans fat is found in sweets, cakes, cookies, margarines, vegetable cream, ice cream, chocolate spreads, mostly cheap ones. Therefore, it is better to buy one pack of good cookies than to poison yourself with inexpensive products with vegetable fats.

See also: What foods should not be eaten for breakfast

3. «Eshki»

The letter E in the composition should already alert you, but you should not immediately put the product aside. Not all of these additives are unhealthy. We can meet many of them in their natural form: turmeric (E 100), paprika (E 160) and others.

Safe

(E1…) – dyes: this group is responsible for the color and saturation of the product.

(E3…) – antioxidants: additives that slow down the oxidation process.

(E4…) – stabilizers (starch and gelatin) that maintain the original consistency of the product.

(E5…) – emulsifiers – are responsible for the original structure of the product.

Dangerous

(E2…) – preservatives: a group of additives that are responsible for increasing the shelf life.

(E6…) – odor and taste enhancers

(E7…) – various kinds of antibiotics can be hidden here. It is better to refuse these goods.  

Whole grain flour contains 25% more protein, 78% more fiber and 93% more vitamin E than refined flour. However, don't be fooled by "similar" labels. They should say "100% whole grain" and not just "made from whole grains"; (in the latter case, the product may contain some whole grains).

5. Unfamiliar abbreviations

Everyone knows and understands the term GOST. These standards were mandatory during the Soviet Union, but today they have been abolished. In Ukraine, there is also a national standard – DSTU (State Standard of Ukraine). Also on the packaging you can find abbreviations in Latin letters.

GOST — this is a state standard that formulates the state's requirements for product quality.

DSTU — State standard of Ukraine, which should regulate the level of radionuclides, salts of heavy metals, pesticides, mycotoxins, microbiological indicators.

TU — technical conditions. This means that these products were produced using the author's recipe, which may differ from GOST.

ISO — International Organization for Standardization. The ISO system does not control chemistry and technology.

FSSC — The most difficult food safety certification scheme to obtain. It is common in EU countries.

Therefore, when going shopping, do not judge by the cover and do not rush to put everything that catches your eye into the basket. Stop and carefully study the label, because not only your figure, but also your health depends on the choice of product.

Read also: Losing weight by summer: which foods to choose for breakfast