Have you ever felt overwhelmed and confused by the food labels while grocery shopping, despite your intentions to make healthy choices? Terms like organic, non-GMO, natural, added sugars, sodium, and fats can be difficult to navigate, making it challenging to select nutrient-dense foods. However, you're not alone in this struggle.
To help, two dietitians from our Medical Expert Board, Amy Goodson and Sydney Greene, share their insights on nutrition label red flags to look out for while grocery shopping. They also identify common misleading marketing tactics used by food companies. Read on to learn how to spot these red flags and make informed choices for healthy eating.
More Than a Few Grams of Added Sugar
Nutrition labels can be overwhelming, especially when trying to avoid added sugar. Even seemingly healthy items like salad dressings or sauces can have a surprising amount of sugar. Dietitians recommend looking for foods with only a few grams of added sugar or less. Additionally, be wary of products where sugar is listed as the first ingredient, which could indicate there's more sugar than anything else in the item.
It's also important to keep an eye out for sneaky ways that manufacturers refer to added sugars. Some common euphemisms include "sugar," "cane sugar," "fructose," "high-fructose corn syrup," "corn syrup," "honey," "agave nectar," "maple syrup," "molasses," "dextrose," "maltodextrin," "turbinado," and "rice syrup."
Over 60 different names for sugar exist, so it's important to research ingredients that you're unsure of, especially those with "syrup" in the name or words ending in "-ose." Examples of sneakier terms include brown rice syrup, any form of fruit juice, barley malt, or coconut nectar.
Grains Without Fiber
Getting enough fiber is essential for maintaining good health. Not only does it help manage weight, but it also aids digestion, balances blood sugar levels, and lowers bad cholesterol. While fruits and vegetables are great sources of fiber, it's also possible to get it from grain products like pasta, bread, and cereals. However, be on the lookout for grains with no fiber listed on the nutrition label, as this is a major red flag.
"If you come across a nutrition facts label that says zero grams of fiber in products such as granola bars, crackers, pasta, cereal, waffles, bread, bagels, and other similar items, it's best to avoid that brand and look for one that is whole-grain," suggests Goodson. "When whole grains that are naturally rich in fiber have zero grams of fiber listed on the label, it means they have been highly processed," adds Greene.
Foods with Excessive Saturated Fat
Goodson advises that saturated fat is a crucial element to keep an eye on rather than the total fat when checking the food label. High amounts of saturated fat in the diet can lead to an increase in LDL (or "bad") and total cholesterol. Foods that contain high levels of saturated fat are usually baked goods, higher-fat red meat, creamy sauces and spreads, and some packaged snack foods.
According to the American Heart Association, a person's intake of saturated fat for the whole day should not exceed 13 grams. However, Goodson suggests a great tip that can help avoid bringing foods home that could push you over this limit.
"When reading food labels, try to choose foods with 1 gram of saturated fat or less per serving," Goodson suggests. This way, you can avoid consuming too much saturated fat in one sitting.
Misleading Claims on the Front of Food Packaging
When it comes to front-of-package claims, it is important to look beyond them and read the label and ingredient list, according to Goodson. For instance, just because a product's package says "whole wheat" does not mean that it is healthy and entirely whole wheat. Goodson explains that the first ingredient could be "enriched wheat flour," which is a processed type of wheat flour. If a product actually had "whole wheat flour" as its first ingredient, the front of the package would have to say "100% whole wheat."
Another sneaky red flag to watch out for is when an item claims to contain "less" of something, such as less sugar, less fat, or less sodium. Goodson warns that "25% less fat" means "25% less fat in relation to the regular version of that product," not all products in that food category. This type of marketing messaging can lead consumers to believe that a product is low in fat, when in fact it could still be high in fat as long as it has less fat than its regular version.
Misleading Food Label Terms Such as 'Organic' or 'All-Natural'
Food labels can be misleading, and consumers need to be aware of the terms used to describe the products. The terms 'organic' or 'natural' on food packaging may make a consumer automatically assume that the item is healthy, but this may not be the case.
The FDA and USDA have no strict guidelines for the term 'all-natural,' and this may lead to a product containing high amounts of sweeteners. Similarly, products labeled as 'organic' may not necessarily be nutritionally better but rather refer to how they were produced or raised.
Consumers can still eat healthily without buying organic products. These red flags are just a way to help consumers navigate the grocery store and make informed decisions about their food choices.