Knowing your Labels

As seen on Charlotte Today!

An average store carries over 47,000 products! It’s overwhelming to think of making that many choices. Manufacturers are smart, they put labels like “natural”, “organic ingredients”, “pure”, “whole grains” on the front of their packages. But do we really believe those statements? Legally, they are allowed to write those words if it describes a portion of their item.

Let’s look at some of the items we may reach for:

Salad Dressings:

Common Choice: A “sugar free” balsamic dressing

• seems like a good choice for the sugar-free label
• has an artificial sugar, in this case, Spenda.
• has chemicals we cannot pronounce

 

 

 

 

Common Choice: Wishbone Balsamic Breeze

• seems healthy and claims all natural
• contains High Fructose Corn Syrup
• added chemicals and preservatives

 

 

 

 

Best choice:  Annies’ Balsamic

• made with all natural ingredients
• ingredients you can pronouce
• tastes great!

 

 

 

 

 

Hot Dogs:

Common Choice: Ball Park All White Turkey Franks

• seem like a better choice
• hidden sugar
• hidden chemicals such as Sodium Nitrates
• 30 extra ingredients

 

 

 

Better choice: Applegate Farms Turkey Hot Dogs

• All organic ingredients
• No nitrates or chemicals
• Short list of ingredients you can pronounce

 

 

 

 

Chips:

Common Choice: Cheetos

• seems healthier because of “0 transfat”
• FDA law allows them to write “0grams” of any ingredient less than 500mg.
• look at the serving size and see how much transfat is actually in it
• look at the ingredients
• also has chemicals & colorings

 

 

 

 

 

Better Choice: Pirate’s Booty

• same puffed corn taste
• few ingredients, easy to read
• no transfat
• no chemicals or colorings
• beware of Dextrose, a type of sugar

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drinks:

Common Choice: CapriSun Drinks:

• seem healthier than juice boxes, says all natural
• contains High Fructose Corn Syrup
• contains a long list of ingredients
• high in sugar

 

 

 

 

 

Better Choice: Honest Kids Drinks

• all natural ingredients, organic
• short list of ingredients
• still high sugar, but a better choice

 

 

 

Chocolate Milks:

Common Choice: Nesquick Chocolate Milk

• contains Sucralose (Spenda)
• contains a long list of ingredients

 

 

 

 

Better Choice: Almond Breeze Chocolate Milk

• made from all natural ingredients
• made with real sugars
• tastes great!

 

 

 

 

Sports Drinks:

Common Choice: Gatorade

• long list of ingredients
• high in sugar and sodium
• artificial flavorings and colorings

 

 

 

 

 

Best Choice: Shaklee’s Performance

• all natural ingredients
• made with plant based coloring
• great flavor
• used by professionals in the Olympics!

 

 

 

 

 

Breads:

Common Choice: Whole Grain Bread

• contains little whole grains
• has High Fructose Corn Syrup
• 30 extra ingredients
• chemicals and preservatives

 

 

 

Best Choice: Rudis 14 Grain Bread

• made with all whole grains
• few ingredients
• organic

 

 

 

 

Meal Replacement Bars

Common Choice: Special K Meal Bar

• long list of unpronounceable ingredients
• hidden list of numerous sugars
• artificially colored and flavored

 

 

 

 

 

Best Choice: Shaklee’s CINCH Meal Bars

• all natural ingredients
• vitamins
• naturally sweetened with fruits
• added Leucine to help lose weight and keep muscles

 

 

 

 

As you can see, many products claim to be natural, pure, great for you, but they are hiding some ingredients that can be harmful to you and your kids.

Basic tips:

1. Shop items with few ingredients
2. Look for ingredients you can pronouce
3. Shop the outer aisles of the store, where things are freshest!
4. Shop organic when possible
5. Make your own and enjoy real food!

To learn more about what your labels really mean, see our recent blog Shopping for Food 101