Eating healthy is about making good choices. Knowing what the numbers in a food label mean can help you make healthy buying decisions. Understanding the food label is one of the most important things you can learn to help you to stay on track for maintaining and improving your over all health.
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Think of how it would affect the health of our young population if we all are knowledgeable about reading food labels as this young man.
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I have never really read food labels. After watching this video, I think I should actually look at all my food labels. If I were to go in the kitchen, I believe I would be in shock with high sugars and calorie levels. Instead of going to the grocery store and picking out what “sounds good”, I will pay attention to the numbers of nutrients I am taking in.
You’re so right, I am totally going to focus more on food labels. I had no idea how beneficial it was. Good post!
I have read food labels in the past, but have never really understood them until I watched these videos. It is amazing all the important facts one can learn about what you are really putting in your body.
yes the food labels provide detailed information about what’s inside the food you’re putting in your body.
I normally do read food labels, but still get confused. There are so many opinions on what is good for you and what’s not it is hard to decide what you need to look out for. Most of the time when I read food lables, I read the ingredients list, if there are words on there that I can’t read or understand, It’s probably something that I don’t want to put in my body. So back on the shelf it goes. Count ingredients, not calories. (:
Me to, iv’e read them but really didn’t understand them.
I was in the same boat. I always read the food labels, but never really had a reference point. This has been helpful for my mind to break down the information quickly and compare between products.
I know, when you look at a nutrition label you usually go for the calorie amount. There are so many things that I have time after time looked over simply because I just didn’t understand.
On the rare occasion that I actually read a food label, I look for the ingredient that is most abundant in the food. This helps me make better choices as to what I actually eat.
Yes, after I began reading food labels, I noticed how deceiving they really are! The calories may say 170, but if you look closely you will see the words, “per serving”. Most of the time, there are 5 or more servings, so you have to pay close attention.
It’s very interesting to learn what you’re putting in your body, but what’s the point if you’re still going to eat it anyway?
I am the same as you I never really got how to read the nutrition labels. I really understood how with this video.
Agreed! I plan to do this as well
Agreed! Wow, didn’t realize how taking a quick minute and glancing at a label could save me a pound or two!
The U.S. could probably even get rid of obesity if the people just looked at the labels.
I attempt to look at labels, but then kind of get lost. I agree! If I would just read, I might shed a pound or two!
True, definently need to start looking at them.
DHarrington,
I agree, I always look at the ingredients list first! The problem is that company’s want to put the chemical names of the ingredients, which is extremely confusing if you don’t know what you’re looking at.
I have been reading the labels of my foods for over ten years. I am vegetarian and try to eat clean. I also try and find the least amount of ingredients in a product. Three or less means that it has less man made ingredients in the product.
I just now started reading food labels about a year ago. If I could become a vegetarian I would be at the weight I need to be at.
I also look to see what has the least ingredients.
I normally don’t look at the food labels, but I need to start looking at them so I can start eating healthier and know what I am putting in my body.
I totally agree. I never look at the food labels but will from now on.
I also haven’t ever paid attention to the food label and probably wouldn’t really even understand if i did but i see the importance of it and plan to become more conscience of my food intake mostly because of the additives and the desire to know more about what i am consuming.
I never really pay close attention to them, sometimes I glance at the calories.
It was something that I had to form a habit of and not something that came naturally outside of glancing over it. It is definitely something I do almost every time now.
I never look at food labels either. Like you, I just pick which ever one looks the best. This video was good at explaining how to read the labels.
I started trying to keep an eye on the food labels once my daughters started eating whole foods… It wasn’t always easy to figure out what everything was that was listed on the package though. But I began to realize that the foods that were difficult to understand on the labels were the foods I needed to try to stay away from. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients and have no clue what’s in the food, it’s probably not something you need to eat! We put too much trust in food manufactures that are more concerned with making more money than they are with the health of their customers.
I agree, I never look at food labels, and really before taking nutrition class and watching these videos I didn’t know much about them either. This short video is good at breaking down the labels. Just looking at these labels and comparing the percents, saturated/trans fats then you can take two of the same items and decide on which one is healthier. Great video!!
I will definitely try harder to read the food labels, but in the past when I’ve tried it’s been difficult because I am in a hurry and just want to get in and out of the grocery store. Or I have my kids with me and they get impatient sitting around waiting for me to read food labels.
I agree that I have never really looked at the food labels but after this video, I will start looking at the labels and see what foods I should be staying away from
This was so well put. I never read any food labels on the things I buy. After watching this video, I totally agree that I should start reading all the food labels of the foods I buy. I realize now that these labels are put there for a reason, & play a very important part of our daily nutrition.
Definatly agree with you! Its sad how we always just grab what we need, or want to snack on, this video really breaks it all down for us.
When I first started reading labels, it was just so confusing. It is getting much easier now!
I never realized that reading food labels could really help me out in choosing foods. I will definitely be ready nutritions facts on products I buy
Yes, I agree with you. I am the same way I do not read food labels as much as I know I should and we should start reading them and become more knowledgable of what the things on the nutrition label actually mean.
It is time-consuming, but reading labels is very important. The better plan is to read before buying instead of reading the labels after eating the food.
This is a great way to start living a healthier life. The nutrients label can tell you things that can make you want to sit the product right back down and not look twice.
I have to agree, if we pay more attention to the contents especially the way this video breaks it down, it does make you want to put stuff back on the shelf and not buy it.
I had been trying to read labels prior to this video but never knew really what I was looking at. I think this video gives us all the knowledge we need to sit our favorite products down and RUN!
exactly! Once i started reading the nutrition facts, i realized i shouldn’t be eating a lot of the stuff i was!
the problem for me is sometimes i dont have the time to look and read the label.
tclift i agree with you. If we would just read the labels and know what we were eating then we could eat healthier and live healthy long lives. We should always read the labels before we start killing our bodies.
It is the first thing I look for when grabbing any thing consumable. I do not want to eat any bad in the long run of my health.
I agree I need to start watching what I eat and what my body is absorbing.
I haven’t ever looked at food labels either. but I agree, after watching this video, im going to do the same thing.
I totally agree! I tend to not look at the food labels, or only look at the calories. This is a very bad habit that I do not need to continue!
I need to be doing the same. It’s amazing how much of the “bad stuff” is in foods people eat everyday and don’t even know it. That is including myself.
See, I always look at food labels. If I don’t like what I see, I put it back. When it comes to what I eat I have very good self control and will power.
Guess that makes both of us. Label is the last thing i pay attention on. The highest that calls my attention is looking for the expiration not content of the label.
I am guilty as well.
I was never into reading them either, but now I want to get better nutrition. Yes, reading up on what we are taking in is important.
I agree, if I went into my kitchen I would probably be shocked as well. I think I’ll be paying more attention fro now on.
I have a set rotation when it comes to groceries, so i’m aware of what I consume on a regular basis. Not much fluctuation at all.
I haven’t paid attention to the food labels either. This video was a good eye opener as to what I should be paying attention to.
Let’s be honest, the label isn’t necessarily going to stop us from buying something that we really want. However, it will make us aware of what we are doing to our body when we do eat that particular food. It may influence what else we eat that day, but it won’t always stop us from eating the unhealthy stuff.
I am the same way always thinking about what looks or sounds good not what I am actually putting in my body. I am also going to have to start paying more attention to food labels.
I also think people just look at the calories and do pay attention to all of the other listed things. I think a lot of people just look at the calories and don’t really pay attention to the serving sizes.
I agree, I have never really looked at food labels and if I do I don’t think about the serving size differences.
I completely agree with you! so many of my foods that I have in my kitchen have such a high count of Sodium! food labels are so important!
I speed reading food labels when I seen some of my favorite foods had interregna in them that we not to my liking.
From now on I will make sure I read the food labels to know exactly what im putting in my body.
I have never been one to read food labels. I am going to try and be better at reading what I am actually putting in my body.
I just started paying attention to the sugar amount on labels.
Absolutely! Less is better! 🙂
I am the exact same. I look at the labels but don’t really pay attention to them.
I think if I went into my kitchen right now I would probably say the same! When going to the grocery store, it’s definitely important to note what would be more nutritious for you rather than what just sounds good.
When you are young especially, it does not occur to check the labels of the food you eat, yet this can be very beneficial in knowing exactly how much of what you are taking in everyday.
I normally do not read food labels either, I started reading the food labels when my Dad got diabetes, so now it is really important for us to read the labels on the products we are purchasing.
I have never paid attention to food labels either. After watching this video I agree that I should look and check to see what I’m really eating. Its about time I started paying attention to my diet and what I put in my body.
I have never really read food labels either. I also want to make changes with this.
I am also like you, I never read food labels. I guess I don’t feel the need to look and keep up with everything. I do not know if that will ever change but maybe it will. I know that I should pay attention but I love going to the store and not worrying about it.
I totally agree! Nutrition labels are a vary important factor of finding healthy foods and I will definitely pay more attention to them now.
I usually make it a habit to read the food labels before buying. I try to stay away from bad sugars and super high caloric foods.
You are right!! when you read the labels you can see what kinds of junk is in processed foods.
Same here because I would not even think twice of looking at the food label at all.
Food processing companies have definitely picked up on the rising health concerns and the actions people are trying to take to fix it. Unfortunately, I believe many have used it deceivingly on the food labels that they make labeling them as “low fat”, “sugar-free”, and “organic” when they may not be certified as any of these and if they are they may be just be replacing with something equally unhealthy or even worse such as artificial sweeteners.
Reading food labels can be frustrating and time consuming. Because it seems like they always have harmful additives or too much fat or sugar or carbs… it can be really frustrating to try to keep healthy.
I do not read food labels either but I am going to start reading them now. The stuff I eat has high every thing that is probably why I am the weight i should not be. I always knew the labels were there but I never really cared about them, until now.
I have tried to look at the food labels to see what is in some of the food I eat but there is just so many chemicals in everything so I try to ignore what it all in my food.
I have got to pay more attention to nutrition labels!
I have never really been one to read the food labels either until recently. I have learned how to read them and has just become instinct to pick things up and read the labels now.
I totally agree with you, I used to pick out what looked or sounded good but I will for sure pay more attention to the labels now.
I have also never looked at food labels. After watching I will also be taking the time to check the labels while I’m shopping at the grocery store.
I agree that we should pay more attention to the labels on our food. I am sure I’d be surprised too if I looked at the labels in my kitchen and saw just how much fat and sugars were in the foods that I ate.
I think it’s important to check your food level now because of more no-sugar items being added on the front but it may have hidden sugars in the back. I used to think everything looked good in a store but now I’m not so sure.
Me too! I will start paying attention to food labels now.
Everyone needs to read food labels. I know I usually do not unless I’m curious about what’s in it. I’m ashamed to admit to that, but it is true. In one of the comments, she said to avoid the inner aisles and go around the outside because that is where the lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and etc. are. The inner aisles contain the processed foods. I’ve never thought about that before but she makes a good point.
I never really read the food labels because I didn’t understand what all was on them and why it was important till this video
I never considered the layout of the aisles before either, but now I recognize the truth of her statement.
I missed the comment about the location of foods in the grocery store and their contents. That’s crazy but I will definitely start recognizing this point.
If everyone DID read the labels, even if its just the serving size, they would be in shock. I know I was. Then to think about the portions we get at fast food restaurants…..WOW!!!
It is crazy to see how the serving sizes increase with fast food. Fast food restaurants serve food portions that are way over the recommended serving size.
Next time I go to the store I am definitely staying out of the inner isles!
I was talking to someone who is on the Paleo diet about how I wanted to begin eating healthier and she told me this exact same thing. It makes a lot of sense. When you go into those inner aisles, it’s easy to get distracted by all of the unhealthy foods that look so good to you!
I am bad about not reading food labels and just putting them in the cart. When she mentioned that in the video about the aisles, I thought is that true then I went to the store and noticed it. She does make a good point.
Yes. I also never read food labels until this video. I will start doing that from now on.
I need to know the basic about what I put in my body, & feed my family, didn’t know there was 40 names for sugar. I definitely need to read labels, and closely monitor ingredients.
It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with Diabetes that I realized how many names sugar had! It was scary thinking about all the things that contain sugar that is called something else
it’s become important to me as I’ve gotten older to Marta more closely the sugars that I need to take in to monitor my blood sugar levels
Oh I was surprised about all the sugar too! You think your eating something fairly healthy but then they have tons of names on the labels. Its confusing!
I never have looked at the food labels until my husband started making a big deal about what I was buying. It will actually make me sick feeling knowing the stuff I buy for my family and how bad most of it is.
Yes, I love reading food labels! However this video taught me even more that I didn’t know… Thanks kid! I love the app myfitnesspal and the book Calorieking because they both have a lot of this kind of information also, and I feel like the more aware we are of what the labels read… the better food choices we make. I hate how companies love to put “Fat-free”, “sugar-free” and “no trans-fat” on products even though these aren’t a lot of times the best choices in my opinion. In fact, I’m not sure of exactly how much is still allowed by the FDA of trans fat that can be added and yet they can still legally put “no trans-fat” on the package! It’s false advertising really, but people will still buy it and not even think twice. In fact I’ve been told if a food has that on it’s package you probably should stay away!
I might just get the my fitness pal and the calorieking so I can have some useful information about what I should be eating!
I’m not big on reading food labels because I look up ingredientslisted and I’m not alwaysliking what I see on the ingredients list I also don’t like feeling bad when I do finally indulge in a snack that I really like when I see the amount of calories I’m actually taking in
I have just started Reading labels and OMG! what I have learned! This has helped me a lot because I never understood how simple it is. Now it takes me a lot longer to shop because I want to read the All the labels! Of course my husband doesn’t feel the same way, so I have been shopping alone. Now !! I can read the labels Quicker and Maybe I can get my helper back to the store:) It was Great watching this young man with so much knowledge and excited about it.
That young man was an inspiration, and should be for us all. I usually don’t read food labels. I may look at them to see how many calories are in whatever it may be. I need to start paying more attention to what I am eating.
Yes I agree! It feels good to know that you are taking the necessary steps to a healthier lifestyle… But it absolutely does take a lot more time once you start paying attention to food labels. I had to stop trying to go grocery shopping when I had the kids because they don’t have enough patience to wait for me to compare food labels as I shop and so we always left the grocery store stressed out from them whining the whole time! Lol. So I reserve grocery shopping for Friday afternoons before they’re out of school & daycare so I can take the necessary time to read the labels and can know I’m buying healthy foods for me and my girls 🙂
That is so true! Everyone gets so frustrated shopping with me. I hate shopping alone, though! I love this!
I started paying more attention to food labels a few years ago, and found it shocking at the junk I had been eating for so long that I that had been relatively healthy. Have to watch out for the tricky terms advertisers use to make their packaged food “sound” natural and good for you.
Same here! I started actually cracking down and reading the labels on EVERYTHING. It almost made me sick to see what i was eating.
And yes i do believe people lie on the front packaging because they know people will not take the time to read the label and ingredients.
I agree. After I start looking at the labels on items at my house, it was really scary to see the unhealthy additives I was consuming.
the thing I don’t understand that I have seen on food labels is that they will add artificial coloring to food that is already the color of the artificial coloring that they’re using if a food is green wire we are adding more green coloring to it
I was shocked when I realized that most of the snack items I had been used to eating, were far from being healthy for me to be eating. Since this realization, I’ve tried to find healthier foods to snack on, and reading the nutrition labels has helped me tremendously.
I really am guilty of adding alot of ranch dressing to my salad. I learned from this video that when I add dressing to my salad it goes from healthy to not so healthy. I also really need to start reading food labels.
its ok there are a lot of good alternatives for dressing for your salad baring that if you still like the ranch try light or low sodium ranch or teasing it in the dressing that helps a little dressing stretch a little further. My mom likes to water her dressing down by taking dressing and adding water and shaping vigorously.
I made a salad for myself today and didn’t read the label on my dressing until I had eaten the salad. Well so much for healthy eating. The dressing made my salad toxic!!!
You know they always say that salads are healthy for us which they are until many of us add the wonderful tasting dressing and all of the cheeses. I have broke myself of adding the salad dressing to the salad I have it on the side or I don’t use it at all just salt and pepper. Next time eating a salad try having the dressing on the side you usually don’t use near as much.
You’re not the only one. I love eating salad quite often, but if you look at how much ranch dressing I used to drown the rest of the salad, I’m not even sure it can really be considered a salad anymore, and it’s probably more unhealthy than the main entree. I will definitely start looking at food labels more often than ever before.
I know already to read food labels but honestly the only part I consider to be of importance is just the calories…. I know I need to look more into everything going on. This video helped me in what to consider next time I read the label. But I don’t eat salad because I can’t eat it without a ton of dressing. It was interesting to learn that the fiber level should be 3 or more. I’ll remember this.
I have tried keeping track of my food labels but I have found it really hard to stay within the daily total percentage for everything when I always end up exceeding one of them
The first thing i do when buying food is read the label.
always look for low sat and trans fat when reading the label.
Keep an eye out for GMO’s.
It is good to get into the the habit of checking the nutrition labels on the foods we eat. So many times I’ll be at the store just grabbing things without even considering what is in it. Gotta check and make sure what I am eating is good and healthy.
I never really have read food labels, despite all the buzz of people going around, 🙂 After watching this video tho I think I’ll try it~!! XD ♥♥♥ The speaker was great, and the filming of the video was great, especially the visuals~!! Additives, high-fructose corn syrup, trans fats ‘~that you do NOT want to eat EVER~’ Lol XD ♥♥♥ Fiber, 1,2, +3 Great Video~!!
I have never been one to read he labels either but after this email I definitely will.
One thing that shocked me when I was doing the food record assignment was the serving sizes of crackers and chips. I thought that 1 serving size of crackers would be 1 rack of those crackers, which is about 25 crackers. I was shocked to find out that just 1 serving size was 4 crackers. So in just one rack there is 6+ serving sizes. That is astounding to me because then you have to multiply everything on the nutrient facts by however many serving sizes you eat just to figure out what you just ate.
I am bad at reading labels and looking at them but I definitely will now.
Whenever I am eating, i defienetly try and study the food label (even thought it is after the food is in my mouth) but I will always know for next time not eat a certain food if it has to much fat or sugar or calories even
I do ready food labels. My job requires that I read them and also when I was told my cholesterol was high I had to start reading about Trans fat.
I have always wondered how to properly read food labels but never known until now, this little boy knows it all! I will be sure to choose whole foods rather than food products. I now know it is very important to look at the first three ingredients, avoid corn syrup and check fibers. I am always eating salads, which according to this video is a dessert!! I’ll think twice about that next time I get a salad.
I have never taken the time to read labels on packages of foods, but one of the first things i thought was interesting was if there is sugar listed in the first three ingredients part then it is considered a dessert. I need to start paying more attention to labels and might help me diet better.
I agree I need to do them same I am always bad about not looking at the labels.
I will be honest I almost never read food labels but after watching this video and taking my nutrition course I realize the importance of reading them and how much information is obtained from them.
This was a very informative video and very helpful. I never really paid attention to the nutrition facts label when i go grocery shopping. But I’ll start looking at the labels before I buy anything. Great video!
I do not look at the nutrition facts either! I guess it is a good habit to get into.
With all the nutrition facts being clearly stated, there really are no excuses to picking unhealthy foods. As much as I hate to admit it, I rarely look at food lables. After watching this video, I grabbed a few boxes out of my food pantry. I was astonished to see how terrible some of the foods are that I eat daily. I will be much conscious of food labels on my next grocery visit.
I never knew that sugar free products were made with artificial sweeteners. Thank God, I do know.
I never did eat sugar free products anyway.
I need to pay attention to food labels more because I tend to look at calories and total carbs, mostly.
I sometimes eat sugar fee products, but didn’t know that about all those artificial sugars.
Sugar free is not always good. The artificial sugars kept me in trouble…
The only thing I really look at is the calories and how much potassium a drink has because I have low potassium
I use to never look at food labels. When I started to try to eat healthier and lose weight I started reading food labels. I almost always read the labels before I buy now!
That’s a good point. You tend to read labels more when you are actually dieting and trying to watch out on everything you eat and buy.
I like this ^ I am definitely trying to eat more healthier but I find it hard at times. I’m glad you’re though!
Same for me. I didn’t start reading food labels until I reached 40 something and had to start watching my weight. Now I read every one.
That is weird that we don’t see labels on whole foods. I wonder if that’s one reason why they are more expensive…? I am happy that processed foods have labels though because I’d hate to be eating something I have no idea how it was made or what was added/taken away from it. I recently saw on GMA last week that the FDA is in the process of updating and revamping food labels that will, hopefully, aide people in eating more healthy and lowering obesity rates!
Just simply being aware of what you’re putting in your body can make all the difference. I recently did a 3 day food diary and I was surprised what all I was actually eating. If you document things it makes it seem more real, and you’d be surprised what all actually goes in your body if you’re not making yourself aware.
I agree. After I did my food diary I was very surprise that I was not getting enough of the nutrients that I need daily.
I was surprised after keeping a food diary that I was getting enough nutrients. I really didn’t think I was doing that good of a job.
I’ve become more aware of food labels since I started dating my boyfriend, he’s a diabetic and can only eat certain foods. When looking at food labels I realize how many bad elements are in the foods we eat.
That’s great that you are taking such considerate actions to keep not only him but you as well healthy!
I am a stickler on reading ingredient labels on the food that we buy and bring into our home. We have to look out for ourselves because you know that no one else is going to .
I have been reading food labels for the past 5 years or so. I rarely buy processed foods because I think it can add to you becoming diabetic. Type 2 diabetes runs in both sides of my family and the more sugar I eat, it could possibly be life threatening in the long run. I like to make food from scratch with the right amounts of the ingredients.
As much as I hate to admit it, I never read food labels. I guess I will start to pay a little more attention. This video was an eye-opener for sure. I guess its time to watch what I am putting into my body.
Same here! I never even thought of looking at any of the nutrition labels I just threw what I needed into the buggy. But after watching this video I’m going to start paying more attention.
I will also admit that I do not read labels unless somebody else mentions something to look at on it. I also agree that this video made me realize that I should start looking at the labels more often.
I read labels. I mostly look at the cards my son the type 1 diabetic eats low cab snacks daily.
I always have a hard time reading food labels this video really helped me to understand them a little better. I will always look at the food label from now on.
I agree the video helped explain how to read the labels. I watched it a second time to take more notes to use to read labels on stuff I’m going to eat.
Never going without reading food labels again! They are confusing but once you understand them then you will be eating a whole bunch healthier.
I am a stickler on reading ingredient labels on the food that we buy and bring into our home. We have to look out for ourselves, no one else is going to .
I cant really understand all the food labels. In the chapters we have revied and videos have helped me a lot. I think they are sometimes confusing. I guess we never know exactly what is in the foods we buy unless we read them correctly.
I am guilty of not reading the labels. I just walk in the store and grab a food and set it in the buggy and continue shopping. I have never really understood labels so this boy explaining it helped me A LOT! Now I know what each means and what to actually look for. Maybe after watching this I will pay more attention to the labels and know what I am looking at.
I hate to read labels because it feels awkward in a grocery store! I think I am going to try to be smarter about what I eat and try to read more labels so I can choose foods that are healthier. This video helped a lot since I am not really an expert at reading labels!
Omg! I feel the same way! Lol I feel awkward like I’m reading this, i don’t really know what I’m looking for, and people are looking at me.
It is hard for me to read the labels they are hard to understand but I do know it is good to read labels so you know how much fat, protein, and ect your getting.
It is very hard to understand. Some of them are labeled very weird that it makes it very confusing. I hate reading them, never have really. The big words in the ingredients, I never really know any of them. They should make labeling a little easier.
I have tried to start reading labels more when buying food for my family. I’ve found that the easiest thing to do is to buy whole foods and prepare as much as I can from scratch. This way I know what has gone into the food we eat at home. Although it is more convenient to buy ready made foods, I am trying to be smarter about the things I buy. Very informative viedo!
I do read food labels and I know it’s best to stay on the outside isles when in the grocery store. This is where you find your fresh fruit, vegetables, lean meats, fish, good dairy choices, and whole grains. The inside isles of the grocery store are the ones you want to avoid even though it is very hard. I have also have learned that when looking at labels the fewer ingredients the better. Watch the fat and sugar especially.
Great point! I never really paid much attention the the actual layout of any grocery store. But, now that it has been brought to my attention, I definitely will plan my trip accordingly!
I do read food labels but it’s usually to check calories. Come to find out I have been tricking myself because I usually go straight to the calories and base the count off of that alone. Now knowing I need to multiply the serving size, I will be extra cautious. I also have ran across ingredients that I had no clue of what they were but I never considered them to be just additives.
This was very informative. I see how to actually calculate the amount of calories in a container or package. This is kinda shocking considering most people eat the whole package.
I agree, a lot of people assume that smaller bags of snack type foods (near checkouts in grocery stores usually) are one serving but they are more often 2 or 3 servings! People don’t realize how many extra nutrient empty calories they are eating.
My wife and I got in the habit of reading food labels in 2004. That was the year that we found out my oldest son had significant allergies to eggs and peanuts. We not longer purchase any food with high fructose corn syrup or trans fats. If we still have two or more choices after eliminating specific products based on that criteria, we go with the one highest in fiber.
I have never read labels, guess I had better start.
They can be a little tricky so read carefully when you do start.
ME TOO : D
I usually don’t read food labels on the processed foods I eat. Technically, I’m underweight so I’ve never really worried about fat or calories, etc. But now I’m learning that there are worse things that can happen from excess fat or sodium or calories that I probably should worry about! I need to be more aware of what I’m eating and what it contains.
Definitely! I have an uncle that is skinny as a stick and he has already had to have 7 bypasses on his heart. You should definitely consider watching the contents of the foods that you eat. There is no weight requirement for a disease.
Pretty interesting on the fiber and I did not know about the food becoming a dessert with sugars or additives in the food! I always look out for stuff on labels though but you can always learn more about it!
I read food labels because my daughter is allergic to all sorts of products that contain milk. I am happy to learn that the dietary fiber should be 3 or higher.
My daughter also has alergies. She is allergic to peanuts and soy mainly.
Try finding things today that dont have soy in them.
I bet that is next to impossible. Most things are produced in plants that have some form of soy or peanut products lying around. Organic would be a good choice.
I do try and read food labels. I think eating whole foods is prolly the best alternative. I hate how we have so many additives in our foods today.
I am an expert at reading food labels since I’ve been diabetic for a while. The reason why those processed foods have labels is because they have so many strange ingredients. Reading labels is important for everyone because it helps control caloric, sugar, and fat intake. I always read the labels before I purchase something from the store. Another little secret I will let you in on is Sugar Free or Fat Free food products. Sugar free products usually have more fat in them and Fat Free products usually have more sugar in them because they’re trying to compensate for the loss of flavor. Keep this in mind when shopping for certain foods and snacks. I’ve totally crossed off sugar free cakes and most fat free items. It’s important to eat things that are naturally low in these two.
I totally agree with the fat free and sugar free. The most weight I ever gained in my 30’s was on those type of diets. The best is to follow a pyramid diet and your portion control, also, don’t eat late at night.
Sugar free is definitely awesome way to watch your weight.
My mom lost over 50 pounds by cutting out all carbs from her diet.
Oh yeah, sugar free products are not good. Most sugar free products have unnatural sweeteners in them such as aspartame and Splenda. I have heard that both of those can cause brain problems, blindness, and many other serious health issues. By the way, great post hyoung1!
i understand i’m a mother of a Type 1 diabetic and reading labels have been a part of our life for the past six years and will continue through his whole life.
Didn’t know that about fat free and sugar free foods but it makes perfect sense. Ill pay more attention next time. Thanks for the info.
I totally agree with you “fat free” and “sugar free” items, aren’t that good for you. Companies try to make you think you can eat these without limits because they say fat or sugar free on the package but they are misleading people, until they get wise and learn to start reading labels and educating themselves on what they are putting in their bodies they are not avoiding what they “think” they are avoiding in their diet. When a person becomes a diabetic they enter a whole new world of what foods effects are within the body, I know because I had Gestational diabetes while I was pregnant and I had to change my diet drastically and learn a whole new way to eat… but it has since influenced what foods I will eat still to this day and that’s a good thing!
I am diabetic and I totally agree with you that it is an entirely new world of what foods you can eat and what are available for you. Knowing what is fat free and sugar free is a win/win situation – only good news for your diet. Labels are sooooo misleading!
Yes, I found this out the hard way. Just be cause its fat free or sugar free doesn’t always mean better.
I had gestational diabetes during my last pregnancy too. Now I am having pre-diabetic issues, 7 years later. I am trying to improve my diet before things get more complicated.
Honestly, you are right because almost the entire food industry is just out for profit and is not concerned whether their ingredients will harm our bodies. Just because the FDA approves it, doesn’t mean it is a nutritious food or can’t cause our body harm in the long run.
I agree with the fat\sugar free statement. Reading labels is something I started doing when my husband found out he was a diabetic and it is something that I now have my whole family doing…we read every label.
I also read the labels. I believe its important to do so especially if you have health issues regarding what you eat.
So true, I also had to start doing this after a family member became diabetic. It is a lifestyle change. You have to do a lot of behavior modification along with a change in the diet. It does take longer in the grocery store and more preparation with meal. I try to make a list and I also go to the store alone so there is no temptation for the diabetic to get off course.
I wish that I read labels on the foods as much as others, I feel like that would help me tremendously in my eating habits, as bad as they are.
AAtkin2020