You know you don’t have to judge a book by its cover. But what about a box of cereal or a bag of chips? Can you trust those nutrition buzzwords like “organic,” “light,” or “fat-free” to steer you toward healthier options?
Good news: the menu is very tightly organized. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn’t just regulate food labels. But it also has health claims like “low in saturated fat,” “a good source of fiber” or “may reduce risk of heart disease.”
Advertising regulations for food labels must adhere to USDA regulations and FTC reality. The bad news: There are a lot of nutritional problems that seem healthy. Remembering the meaning of each word is difficult.
Labeling “This is a very complex issue,” says Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD, nutrition a la Natalie. I’m still having a hard time digesting all of this without doing research. Still, Rizzo said educating consumers about these issues is important.
Here is a list of some commonly used phrases on food labels. So you know what you can trust. And what words might just be a marketing gimmick?
What nutritional status can I trust?
The following conditions are generally planned and reliable.
“USDA Organic”
This is perhaps one of the more structured scenarios. For meat, the USDA Organic Seal certifies the product without genetic modification. It preserves natural resources and biodiversity. Outside is accessible all year round. Grown in certified organic soil for 100% certified organic food; Increases growth hormone when used without antibiotics.
Regarding the product on the box and manufactured, Rizzo says the word “organic” can actually appear four ways on the label.
- A “100 percent organic” voucher for all produce. (In addition to salt water) These products may use the USDA Organic Seal.
- “Organic” can be used in any product. Materials containing at least 95 percent organic ingredients These products may use the USDA organic seal.
- The phrase “made with organic ingredients” is used to refer to products that are at least 70 percent organic. This requirement is regulated by the USDA. However, these products do not have the official USDA organic seal of approval.
- For products with less than 70% organic content, certain organic ingredients (such as “organic tapioca syrup”) may be listed next to the product name following the ingredients list.
“Hormone-free”
Definitions vary by species, Rizzo said. “Hormone-free” means little when it comes to pork or poultry. That’s because federal regulations prohibited the use of hormones in these animals to begin with.
For pigs that sometimes use hormones, the term “hormone free” proves that no hormones are used in the yard.
“Antibiotics-Free”
If USDA can verify that these animals were raised without antibiotics. This name can be used for red meat and poultry.
“Gluten-Free”
The FDA now requires foods labeled “gluten-free” to contain fewer than 20 ingredients. This is considered a safe limit. He has celiac disease. However, people with severe gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity should avoid small amounts of gluten and not just relying on headlines.
And again – watch out for your health: “gluten-free” doesn’t mean “calorie-free.” “Restricted calories” or “restricted carbohydrates”.
“No Added Sugar”
According to the FDA Food Guide’s definition of nutrition claims, the term can only be used if the product does not contain added sugar or sugar-containing ingredients. From 2020, all food items will be required to list their total sugar content individually on the Nutrition Facts label.
This helps to understand naturally occurring sugars and added sugars in foods, for example, milk contains natural sugar in the form of lactose. Sugar is often added to chocolate milk to sweeten the drink.
What nutrition facts are misleading?
Although guided by the following, it can be confusing to determine whether a food is healthy or not.
“Fat-free”
Foods with this label contain less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving. Even though we look healthy, most of us don’t care about fat.
And don’t forget to check the size of the ingredients. According to Jeff Scott Phillips, a certified dietitian and author of The Big Fat Food Fraud, some companies resize menus so they are too small to fit in that meal.
“Sugar-free”
That means less than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving, but it’s here, too, Rizzo said. The issue of portion size applies to low-fat diets. The Food and Drug Administration doesn’t distinguish between added sugar and natural sugar — not for bananas “No added sugar”.
What nutritional trends are red flags?
These statements are not always true. The appearance of these words does not mean that the food is unhealthy. But that means you should read the Nutrition Facts label and ingredient list for more information.
“Healthy”
Over the past two decades, public health advice has shifted dramatically toward healthy fats. The Food and Drug Administration is defining this “Healthy” on New Food Lists.
In addition, pharmaceutical foods may be labeled as healthy on the pharmaceutical label if they are low in saturated fat. However, most fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Or at least 10% of the daily value of potassium or vitamin D, Rizzo said. (Are you still confused?)
Oils are getting the most attention right now. U.S. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also reviewing its standards for added sugar in healthy foods. However, a “healthy” product doesn’t guarantee that a product that meets federal standards will be good for you — it probably contains some good nutrients.
“Natural Flavored”
We all eat whole foods. However, there is no clear definition for the use of the word “natural” on food labels. This may indicate that the flavor comes from natural sources such as spices or herbs, but not necessarily from eating unprocessed whole foods. “Just because a food has ‘natural flavor’ ingredients doesn’t mean the end product is all natural.”
