Let’s talk about something practical today – how to read food labels like a detective!
Have you ever stood in front of a supermarket shelf, picked up a packet of “whole wheat cookies” or “low-fat yogurt”, turned it over to the back, and saw that there were some additives that you couldn’t read? You can only put it back, or just buy it? Don’t panic! Today I will use 5 super simple methods to teach you to quickly read food labels. The next time you shop, you will be able to recognize a second to break through the marketing rhetoric, and accurately pull out those hidden in the “healthy” coat under the additives.
First look at the ingredients list: the first in line is the highest content!
A package of oatmeal cookies in the ingredients list is the first wheat flour, the second is sugar, the third is oats. Then it’s not an oatmeal cookie at all, it’s a sugar cookie!
The first three positions of the ingredient list of healthy food are preferably natural ingredients (e.g. oats, milk, eggs).
If sugar, vegetable oil, and refined flour appear in the first three places, think twice!
Pick up your yogurt and see if the first ingredient is “raw cow’s milk” or “water”?
Don’t just look at the calories in the nutrition chart! Keep an eye on these 3 numbers
Many people look for “calories” right off the bat, but here’s the real key:
Sugar (Carbohydrates – Sugar)
More than 15 grams of sugar per 100 grams, equivalent to 4 cubes of sugar, it is best not to choose.
Beware of invisible sugars! For example, “fruit juice concentrate” and “honey” are all sugars.
Sodium:
The sodium content of instant noodles and potato chips can soar to half of the recommended daily amount! Eating too much is prone to edema.
Dietary Fiber (Dietary Fiber):
Whole wheat bread fiber ≥ 3g / slice is qualified, otherwise it may be “stained bread”.
Trap warning:
Low-fat but high sugar, sugar-free but high fat, there are always a hundred ways to fool you!
Can not be too trusting of the front of the package advertising
Natural – Potato chips can be labeled as “natural” even if there is no official standard.
Zero additives – they may not have preservatives, but they do have sugar and salt.
Rich in Vitamin C – probably only 1% of your daily requirement, so you might as well eat an orange.
We recommend turning to the back to read the ingredient list directly
Portion Trap: What you think is in a packet ≠ what you actually eat!
Potato chips nutritional composition table written “30 grams per serving = 150 calories”, but a package of 80 grams ……
As a result, when you finish eating them, you have actually consumed 400 calories! (equivalent to two bowls of rice)
It is recommended to first look at the data per 100 grams and compare different brands horizontally.
Then look at how much is per serving, don’t be fooled by the packaging!
Identify additives remember these codes on the line
See a bunch of EXXX in the ingredient list is a big headache? In fact, there are two types:
Harmless to the body: E300 (vitamin C), E322 (lecithin) – natural extraction, feel free to eat.
Recommended to touch less type: E621 (MSG), E951 (aspartame) – sensitive people may have a headache.
The longer the ingredient list, the more processed it is. Keep it simple, it’s safest to eat food as it is!
Next time you’re at the grocery store, try this:
Look at the ingredient list order first
Scan for sugar, sodium, and fiber
Ignore the ads on the front of the package
Check the actual serving size
Put down too many codes
Congratulations! There will never be a package in the grocery store that can fool you again!