Reading food labels can be a daunting task, but with these simple tricks you'll be able to figure out what should go into your body and what won't.
Food label fraud often involves health claims that are misleading or outright false. For example, "gluten-free" items often contain substitutes for gluten which may not be as healthy.
1. "Made From"
When discussing food, we often hear the phrase "made from." This implies something has been created from another element - whether it be something simple like the Singapore Sling or more complex like goat's milk cheese. Unfortunately, using "made from" can sound too formal for most contexts; thus it's usually better to use just "made of." Remember: this prepositional phrase has an important role in understanding its intended meaning; thus using shorter forms such as "made of" will prevent misinterpretation.
2. "Made With"
Food labels are supposed to make nutrition facts accessible and understandable for everyone, but unfortunately they've become a source of confusion and deception as manufacturers use marketing buzzwords to make their products appear healthy while concealing ingredients that aren't. So much so that the FDA is on a mission to clean up this mess. A popular trick on food labels is "All Natural," which may sound harmless at first glance but contains harmful additives hidden in small print on some products. Here's how you can fight back:
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3. "Fat-Free"
Recently, "fat-free" has become a trendy buzzword; however, that doesn't guarantee healthy food products. Manufacturers sometimes use this labeling to mask high amounts of sugar, sodium or other additives in their items.
Manufacturers typically substitute fat for another ingredient to compensate for the lack of it in a product. Usually, this is polysaccharide starch with an identical texture and taste as fat.
Manufacturers frequently add sugar, artificial sweeteners or flavor enhancers to give their products a pleasant taste.
While this strategy may be beneficial in certain instances, it's not always successful. For example, a box of "fat-free" cookies contains just over one gram of fat per serving.
4. "Natural"
Many consumers are drawn to foods labeled "natural." According to Consumer Reports' survey, 85% of those surveyed believed this meant the product does not contain artificial ingredients or pesticides.barcode labels and ribbons jeddah
Under federal labeling regulations, products marketed as "natural" cannot contain any artificial ingredients. This includes any additives (including color additives) not derived from nature.
The Food and Drug Administration has yet to officially define "natural," but they have established policies regarding its use on food labels.
FDA clarified in their published comments that this policy did not intend to address pesticide use or any other food production method, nor was it intended to imply a nutritional or other health benefit when the term natural was used.
Furthermore, the FDA's informal policy did not take into account food processing methods like thermal technologies, pasteurization or irradiation. Thus, many items labeled "natural" may actually not have been naturally processed but still meet USDA minimal processing requirements for meat, poultry and eggs.
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