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Food Label Confusion
Do food labels confuse you? You’re not the only one! There are nearly 20,000 food
items in a given grocery store, and it can be hard to tell the difference between
"whole wheat" and "multigrain," "reduced fat" and "low fat," or "light" and "lean."
Turns out, the nutritional truth is not as straightforward as the labels might lead you
to think.
Although these food labels may seem like a marketing ploy, many of them have a
legal definition and are controlled by the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Understanding the exact
meaning of the advertised label will make it much easier for you to compare foods
and find those that have the nutritional benefits you're looking for!
Read on to find out which labels are important—and which you can ignore.
"Natural" vs. "Organic"
The burning question that everyone wants to know: "Do I have to buy organic?"
"Natural" or "All natural": To make the claim that something is "natural" the
product must contain no artificial ingredients or added color, and is only minimally
processed, meaning the product was treated in a manner that does not
fundamentally alter it. However, this does not mean that the product is necessarily
healthier.
"Organic": The product cannot contain hormones or antibiotics, and the animals
must have been fed a vegetarian, pesticide- and herbicide-free diet without
genetically modified sources or animal byproducts, and had continuous access to
pasture. Organic fresh produce must be grown without using synthetic pesticides or
chemical fertilizers. Be sure to look up information on which fruits and vegetables
you should be buying organic.
Bottom Line: To meet FDA requirements, meat and poultry can only be minimal
processed and can't contain manufactured ingredients. Ultimately, conventional and
organic will give you the same nutritional product—both are great sources of
animal protein. Eating organic foods can lower your exposure to pesticides, but
according to current research, the amount of pesticides measured from conventional
products is typically within safety limits.
Red Meat
Is a steak just a steak or is there more than what "meats" the eye?
"Grass-fed": Nearly all cattle are fed grass at some point in their lives, so this term
is virtually meaningless. If you want beef from cows that grazed exclusively on
grass for their entire lives, look for the "American Grassfed" or "100% Grassfed"
label, which requires that animals were raised on pasture and have never been
confined, fed grain, or given antibiotics or hormones.
"Naturally raised": This is a voluntary marketing claim that means that livestock
have been raised entirely without growth promoters and antibiotics (except for
parasite control).
"Lean": The meat has less than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and 95
milligrams of cholesterol per 3.5 ounces, which is the size of a deck of cards.
Bottom Line: Eating organic meat is a personal choice that depends on your
budget, conscience, and taste. Nutritionally speaking, organic meat is the same as
conventional. But current research on the long-term consequences of eating animals
raised with hormones is incomplete, which is precisely why some people are
nervous about how safe it is to eat. From a nutritional standpoint, it is always best to
buy lean cuts of meat products.
Chicken
How do you pick your poultry? Is there something to look for specifically?
"Free-range": Chickens confined to shared cages inside warehouses don't engage
in their natural behaviors, such as foraging or flapping their wings. Free-range
systems usually offer the opportunity for extensive locomotion and sunlight
prevented by indoor housing systems.
"No hormones": Hormones are not allowed in raising hogs or poultry. Hence,
every poultry product should be hormone-free.
Bottom Line: If you’re worried about pesticides or have ethical objections to how
chickens are raised, select organic, free-range poultry. Based on nutrition alone,
organic chicken isn’t worth the money.
Eggs
Our choices used to be brown eggs or white eggs, and small, medium or extra large.
Today there are many other factors to consider when buying eggs.
"Free-range": Typically, the birds are un-caged inside barns or warehouses and
have some degree of outdoor access, but there are no requirements for the amount,
duration, or quality of outdoor access. Unlike eggs that are "certified organic," there
are no restrictions regarding what the birds can be fed. Conventional feed is usually
grain-based, has added vitamins and minerals, and can contain antibiotics and
hormones.
"Cage-free": The birds are un-caged inside barns or warehouses, but they
generally do not have access to the outdoors. Only free-range chickens have access
to the outdoors.
"Added omega-3s": The birds are fed omega-3 rich foods, which in turn enriches
their eggs with the health-healthy antioxidants. However, there are no guarantees
regarding their living conditions.
"Brown eggs": The chicken’s breed determines the color of their eggs. The color
of the shell has no impact on how the egg tastes, or the health-benefits of the egg.
Bottom Line: Calorie for calorie and fat gram for fat gram, conventional and
organic eggs are identical. However, if you are concerned about life and feed of the
bird, organic eggs are the way to go.
Bread
What is the difference between "multigrain" and "whole wheat?" Is one better than
the other when choosing which bread to buy?
Multigrain: The product contains more than one type of grain. Products with this
term may contain any mixture of wheat, corn, barley, rice, oats, buckwheat, flax,
millet, or something similar. However, it does not necessarily indicate that the
grains were whole and thus healthier.
Whole wheat: The product was made with whole-wheat flour. It is only made with
100% whole-wheat flour if it says "100%." If you select 100% whole-wheat
products, the bran and the germ of the wheat will remain in your meals. Whole
wheat is a very good source of dietary fiber and manganese, and is a good source of
magnesium.
100% whole grain: The entire grain, which includes the large endosperm
(containing protein and carbohydrates), the germ (containing fat and B-vitamins),
and the outer bran (containing fiber and vitamins) is left intact. When it is whole
grain, you get the optimal amount of nutrients and fiber from the grains.
Stone-ground: This is just a method of grinding grain; it is not any healthier for
you.
Bottom Line: When inspecting a bread label, make sure the first ingredient is
whole grain, the total number of ingredients is small (less than 5) and devoid of
unpronounceable chemicals, there are at least 3 grams of fiber per slice, and the
label says "100% whole wheat." Anything less is glorified white bread and not
worth your time or money.
Breakfast Cereal
Natural: In this case, the term has no actual FDA definition behind it; it means
nothing about a food's nutritional content, ingredients, safety, or health effects.
"Natural," as defined by the USDA and the FDA, has different applications for
different types of food products. The label must explain the use of the term natural,
for example that it contains no added coloring or it's minimally processed, which
calls for careful reading.
Whole grain: If "whole grain" is listed in the ingredients before other grains, more
than 50% of the total grain is whole; if not, there may not be much. According to
FDA experts, the grain refining process removes some of the bran and germ from
the grain, resulting in a loss of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals.
No artificial ingredients: There is no official definition of "artificial," so this claim
is unregulated and therefore, means nothing at all.
Organic: The food is produced using methods that don’t involve things like
synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and are not processed using chemical
food additives. However, this does not mean the food is healthy. There is plenty of
organic junk food full of sugar, fat, and calories.
Bottom Line: Choose a whole grain cereal with at least 4 grams of dietary fiber and
less than 12 grams of sugar per serving. If you're interested in pure foods and
minimally processed or unprocessed foods, the "natural" label probably won't tell
you what you want to know.
Snack Foods
Light/Lite: This ambiguous term can mean that the product has fewer calories or
half the fat of the non-light version. But it's relative, so the product can still have a
lot of fat and calories.
Sugar-free or No added sugar: These labels tell you nothing about sugar
derivatives (like corn syrup) or sugar substitutes (like Sorbitol or Stevia), which
yield just as many calories as table sugar and may be more harmful to your health
than real sugar—some studies link certain sugar substitutes to weight gain.
Low-fat: The product has no more than 3 grams of fat per serving. Ultimately, lowfat is good, but you have to look at the overall picture! When making a low-fat
version of chips or cookies, manufacturers often replace the fat with another
ingredient, like sugar or salt, to make the product tasty.
Reduced-fat: The product has at least 25% less fat per serving than the full-fat
version. Again, it's important to read the entire food label since reduced-fat versions
can still be loaded with fat, calories, sugar, and sodium.
Bottom Line: To keep energy levels high and to avoid weight gain, avoid snack
foods with added sugars. Opt for snacks with shorter ingredient lists, all of which
you are able to pronounce. As a basic reference, choose snacks that are low in sugar
and high in dietary fiber. The American Heart Association advises limiting
saturated fat consumption to less than 7% of daily calories and trans fat
consumption to less than 1% of total daily calories.