Food labels can be confusing & difficult to understand. Knowing what nutrition information to look for and what marketing gimmicks to ignore can help you make the best choice for your health. * Ingredients must be listed on the label in order from largest to smallest by weight. You can use this to spot foods that might be high in saturated fat or added sugars because these ingredients are listed in the top three. • Don’t believe health claims. Just because a packet reads ‘low fat’, ‘healthy’, ‘paleo’ or gluten free doesn’t mean it’s healthy. • Check servings and calories. Look at the serving sizes listed on the packet and how many servings you are actually eating. •Avoid saturated fats, partially hydrogenated fats, or tropical oils in the ingredient list, including lard, butter, coconut, cocoa butter, palm oils, shortening, margarine. • Watch out for sugars that don’t say “sugar” such as corn syrup, rice and maple syrup, molasses, honey, malted barley, barley malt, or any term that ends in “ol,” such as sorbitol or maltitol, or “ose,” such as dextrose or fructose. Aim to limit added sugar intake to 6 teaspoons (25g) per day.
Want to know more? Book a nutrition consultation with our in-house clinical Nutritionist Maeve.
Education is the key to empowering a healthier you.