This morning I was doing some searching and I cam across this very detailed article about food labels. The post is well worth reading (it’s 3 pages). The author begins with a comparison of food labels for raw sunflower seeds and how Whole Foods and Trader Joes have different nutrition facts for the same item.
The article then moves into claims including “all natural” and “fat free” and how food manufacturers play around to get their foods to fit within certain categories so they can print the go-to words on their packages. I really like the comparison of margarine products on page 2 especially how margarine companies create serving sizes so small that the product can fit certain criteria.
The article concludes with a discussion of “fake foods” – things like “buttery spread” and “dairy beverage”. There is also a chart on page 3 of what the government requires for certain claims on packages. For example, I thought “fat free” means that the item has no fat in it. But that’s not the case – the FDA requires that the product have, “Less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving, with no added fat or oil”.
My nutritionist, Linda, has taught me so much and I think one of the most important things she has taught me is to read labels. This alone has changed the foods I buy and consume. And now I know that package claims may not be exactly what they appear to be.
Check out some other groovy posts: