Do You Read Food Labels?

January 9, 2014

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.


Mayo Clinic Minute


HealthWorks! Healthy Living Series

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.

{ 201 comments… read them below or add one }

msmith June 27, 2014 at 3:16 pm

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.

Reply

lbabb1 February 16, 2015 at 6:47 pm

You’re so right, I am totally going to focus more on food labels. I had no idea how beneficial it was. Good post!

Reply

frayos February 25, 2015 at 10:13 am

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.

Reply

lefj1979 February 24, 2016 at 5:02 pm

yes the food labels provide detailed information about what’s inside the food you’re putting in your body.

DHarrington June 30, 2016 at 3:01 pm

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. (:

HeyYall March 8, 2017 at 3:16 pm

Me to, iv’e read them but really didn’t understand them.

dmitchell6 September 1, 2017 at 12:33 pm

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.

mclark8 October 11, 2017 at 6:34 pm

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.

CHARPER3 October 11, 2017 at 8:59 pm

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.

Natalie Fusilier October 11, 2017 at 9:08 pm

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.

LSB62 February 1, 2018 at 11:18 pm

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?

emartinez1 March 4, 2018 at 6:32 pm

I am the same as you I never really got how to read the nutrition labels. I really understood how with this video.

lwebb August 22, 2015 at 4:34 pm

Agreed! I plan to do this as well

Reply

jreyes August 28, 2015 at 9:33 pm

Agreed! Wow, didn’t realize how taking a quick minute and glancing at a label could save me a pound or two!

Reply

KatelynOstrem October 5, 2017 at 10:17 am

The U.S. could probably even get rid of obesity if the people just looked at the labels.

kklein February 20, 2018 at 3:03 pm

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!

abane June 27, 2018 at 10:16 am

True, definently need to start looking at them.

hubence September 22, 2018 at 6:38 pm

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.

Twebb September 7, 2015 at 9:24 pm

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.

Reply

msmith October 9, 2016 at 9:46 pm

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.

ahenry2551 October 8, 2019 at 4:10 pm

I also look to see what has the least ingredients.

SaraH1212 October 9, 2023 at 3:40 pm

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.

Lindsey Thompson September 30, 2015 at 6:34 pm

I totally agree. I never look at the food labels but will from now on.

Reply

Chelsea Vogel Hunter January 20, 2016 at 8:57 pm

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.

stephanie rogers March 7, 2018 at 3:40 pm

I never really pay close attention to them, sometimes I glance at the calories.

bmichael January 13, 2022 at 10:07 am

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.

Alexis Smallwood October 6, 2015 at 11:16 pm

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.

Reply

Emily October 7, 2015 at 9:45 pm

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.

swhitfield February 27, 2016 at 9:02 pm

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!!

AToney86 March 11, 2016 at 12:41 am

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.

acole4 September 2, 2018 at 2:32 pm

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

saylett October 12, 2015 at 7:30 pm

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.

Reply

Ashleigh Wiggins July 5, 2016 at 10:38 pm

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.

dhutchens October 3, 2016 at 3:50 pm

When I first started reading labels, it was just so confusing. It is getting much easier now!

msorrell April 30, 2017 at 12:04 am

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

kfowler October 8, 2019 at 11:48 am

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.

lcarroll9978 February 18, 2016 at 7:14 pm

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.

Reply

tclift23 February 22, 2016 at 1:43 pm

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.

Reply

lmitchell March 2, 2016 at 7:57 pm

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.

Ashleigh Wiggins July 5, 2016 at 10:40 pm

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!

Micah Thomas October 5, 2016 at 12:19 am

exactly! Once i started reading the nutrition facts, i realized i shouldn’t be eating a lot of the stuff i was!

Aflores1965 October 6, 2016 at 12:38 am

the problem for me is sometimes i dont have the time to look and read the label.

mhigginbotham March 6, 2017 at 10:25 am

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.

Sgonzalez October 9, 2023 at 6:09 pm

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.

Amber Newman February 23, 2016 at 11:34 am

I agree I need to start watching what I eat and what my body is absorbing.

Reply

blusinger February 23, 2016 at 1:57 pm

I haven’t ever looked at food labels either. but I agree, after watching this video, im going to do the same thing.

Reply

dahlke11 February 23, 2016 at 8:08 pm

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!

Reply

mcunningham February 23, 2016 at 9:09 pm

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.

Reply

Megan moore February 24, 2016 at 11:31 pm

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.

Reply

Collins.M February 25, 2016 at 12:21 am

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.

Reply

nwade October 6, 2017 at 9:34 pm

I am guilty as well.

knichole March 1, 2016 at 10:22 am

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.

Reply

Cbrown1900 March 1, 2016 at 9:53 pm

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.

Reply

Jlacombe March 2, 2016 at 2:55 pm

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.

Reply

kgray5 April 27, 2016 at 6:47 pm

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.

Reply

psimms July 6, 2016 at 1:50 pm

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.

Reply

Megan Schofield October 5, 2016 at 11:43 am

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.

Reply

bburks March 7, 2017 at 3:08 pm

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.

ltutt October 6, 2016 at 9:42 am

I agree, I have never really looked at food labels and if I do I don’t think about the serving size differences.

Reply

kwomble February 9, 2017 at 2:36 pm

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!

Reply

Pauffmomma March 3, 2017 at 5:39 pm

I speed reading food labels when I seen some of my favorite foods had interregna in them that we not to my liking.

Reply

Morgan Long March 8, 2017 at 10:56 am

From now on I will make sure I read the food labels to know exactly what im putting in my body.

Reply

mfranklin1` March 11, 2017 at 12:20 pm

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.

Reply

A.Wood June 30, 2017 at 3:11 pm

I just started paying attention to the sugar amount on labels.

Reply

khoward October 8, 2017 at 2:59 pm

Absolutely! Less is better! 🙂

Reply

Autumn Donleytumn October 10, 2017 at 11:45 am

I am the exact same. I look at the labels but don’t really pay attention to them.

Reply

Lcatlett October 12, 2017 at 12:11 am

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.

Reply

jwilson15 October 12, 2017 at 12:20 am

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.

Reply

mdiaz2949 January 25, 2018 at 4:14 pm

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.

Reply

mpurifoy February 1, 2018 at 2:47 pm

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.

Reply

sdegler March 6, 2018 at 6:52 pm

I have never really read food labels either. I also want to make changes with this.

Reply

sburris4 March 6, 2018 at 10:51 pm

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.

Reply

smcneely24 March 7, 2018 at 7:56 pm

I totally agree! Nutrition labels are a vary important factor of finding healthy foods and I will definitely pay more attention to them now.

Reply

ssmith0817 March 11, 2018 at 11:34 pm

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.

Reply

scarlile June 24, 2018 at 7:33 pm

You are right!! when you read the labels you can see what kinds of junk is in processed foods.

Reply

mwilson98 June 27, 2018 at 10:25 pm

Same here because I would not even think twice of looking at the food label at all.

Reply

MandyL777 June 28, 2018 at 12:12 am

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.

Reply

klane August 26, 2018 at 7:19 am

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.

Reply

amcclure October 4, 2018 at 2:08 pm

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.

Reply

Adiehl October 3, 2019 at 11:29 am

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.

Reply

Jicaldw October 11, 2019 at 5:18 pm

I have got to pay more attention to nutrition labels!

Reply

cjoy356 October 6, 2020 at 8:06 pm

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.

Reply

zreilly October 6, 2020 at 9:11 pm

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.

Reply

Mholyfiel March 1, 2022 at 10:00 pm

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.

Reply

JPearson March 2, 2022 at 11:05 pm

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.

Reply

ggilb23 October 11, 2023 at 4:02 pm

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.

Reply

nbarganier October 12, 2023 at 11:09 am

Me too! I will start paying attention to food labels now.

Reply

rself June 27, 2014 at 12:38 am

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.

Reply

DRobinson March 30, 2015 at 3:26 pm

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

Reply

EWalters October 9, 2015 at 10:55 am

I never considered the layout of the aisles before either, but now I recognize the truth of her statement.

Reply

Ssmith5449 November 29, 2015 at 5:18 pm

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.

Reply

dasmith January 31, 2016 at 5:33 pm

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!!!

Reply

collinb1986 June 25, 2017 at 8:27 pm

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.

Ashleigh Wiggins July 5, 2016 at 10:41 pm

Next time I go to the store I am definitely staying out of the inner isles!

Reply

Gina Jones July 6, 2016 at 8:06 pm

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!

Reply

esmith October 11, 2023 at 8:29 pm

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.

Reply

nbarganier October 12, 2023 at 11:11 am

Yes. I also never read food labels until this video. I will start doing that from now on.

Reply

mdanner4505 June 21, 2014 at 10:08 pm

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.

Reply

Spencer Gaither February 18, 2015 at 3:16 pm

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

Reply

Pauffmomma March 3, 2017 at 5:41 pm

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

Ashleigh Wiggins July 5, 2016 at 10:45 pm

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!

Reply

wmccoy3365 October 8, 2019 at 9:16 am

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.

Reply

fcarter-doreau June 17, 2014 at 6:28 pm

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!

Reply

sdreyer February 24, 2015 at 5:31 pm

I might just get the my fitness pal and the calorieking so I can have some useful information about what I should be eating!

Reply

Pauffmomma March 3, 2017 at 5:43 pm

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

Reply

pbridges9020 June 14, 2014 at 10:59 am

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.

Reply

rself June 27, 2014 at 11:49 am

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.

Reply

Emily October 7, 2015 at 9:52 pm

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 🙂

Reply

ckilpatrick October 10, 2016 at 3:56 pm

That is so true! Everyone gets so frustrated shopping with me. I hate shopping alone, though! I love this!

Reply

mpearce June 5, 2014 at 12:15 am

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.

Reply

dberryhill March 6, 2015 at 6:12 pm

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.

Reply

ywilson June 15, 2015 at 4:52 pm

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.

Reply

Pauffmomma March 3, 2017 at 5:45 pm

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

Reply

Jallinson90 March 6, 2017 at 1:43 pm

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.

Reply

sparks June 4, 2014 at 11:38 am

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.

Reply

tmarlin June 11, 2015 at 7:06 pm

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.

Reply

ywilson June 15, 2015 at 4:44 pm

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!!!

Reply

tcrossley July 1, 2015 at 8:44 pm

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.

alec_young2 July 3, 2016 at 7:25 pm

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.

Reply

Sdecker May 30, 2014 at 3:42 pm

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.

Reply

Pauffmomma March 3, 2017 at 5:47 pm

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

Reply

pharrell7786 May 2, 2014 at 4:48 pm

The first thing i do when buying food is read the label.

Reply

pharrell7786 May 2, 2014 at 4:47 pm

always look for low sat and trans fat when reading the label.

Reply

pharrell7786 May 2, 2014 at 4:47 pm

Keep an eye out for GMO’s.

Reply

bkulis March 21, 2014 at 7:14 pm

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.

Reply

MCogburn3 March 9, 2014 at 9:34 pm

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~!!

Reply

vrobinson July 6, 2016 at 11:29 pm

I have never been one to read he labels either but after this email I definitely will.

Reply

awagner March 5, 2014 at 10:53 pm

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.

Reply

Natasha Toudouze March 5, 2014 at 9:03 pm

I am bad at reading labels and looking at them but I definitely will now.

Reply

cosborne March 5, 2014 at 7:42 pm

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

Reply

MSmith March 5, 2014 at 4:45 pm

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.

Reply

ethacker March 5, 2014 at 1:33 pm

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.

Reply

ckuhn March 5, 2014 at 12:19 am

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.

Reply

Natasha Toudouze March 5, 2014 at 9:04 pm

I agree I need to do them same I am always bad about not looking at the labels.

Reply

iramirez March 4, 2014 at 11:15 pm

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.

Reply

wbukowski March 4, 2014 at 8:32 pm

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!

Reply

hlong1 September 14, 2016 at 12:58 pm

I do not look at the nutrition facts either! I guess it is a good habit to get into.

Reply

chobbs March 4, 2014 at 7:01 pm

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.

Reply

Katarina Lazic March 3, 2014 at 2:58 pm

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.

Reply

mdanner4505 June 21, 2014 at 10:10 pm

I sometimes eat sugar fee products, but didn’t know that about all those artificial sugars.

Reply

adaniel7 February 24, 2015 at 3:30 pm

Sugar free is not always good. The artificial sugars kept me in trouble…

CLovell March 2, 2014 at 10:08 pm

The only thing I really look at is the calories and how much potassium a drink has because I have low potassium

Reply

jostie March 2, 2014 at 7:25 pm

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!

Reply

Katarina Lazic March 3, 2014 at 2:59 pm

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.

Reply

iramirez March 4, 2014 at 11:17 pm

I like this ^ I am definitely trying to eat more healthier but I find it hard at times. I’m glad you’re though!

Reply

devans February 16, 2015 at 10:46 am

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.

Reply

cgreene March 2, 2014 at 1:28 pm

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!

Reply

beasterling March 1, 2014 at 12:58 pm

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.

Reply

ywilson June 15, 2015 at 4:45 pm

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.

Reply

srussell September 12, 2016 at 3:49 pm

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.

ACOOPER March 1, 2014 at 11:04 am

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.

Reply

ccantrell1 January 24, 2015 at 7:45 pm

That’s great that you are taking such considerate actions to keep not only him but you as well healthy!

Reply

jemerson February 27, 2014 at 4:32 pm

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 .

Reply

aeasley February 26, 2014 at 3:41 pm

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.

Reply

JALSTON February 26, 2014 at 3:13 pm

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.

Reply

wbukowski March 4, 2014 at 8:34 pm

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.

Reply

hannapatrick June 27, 2018 at 11:59 pm

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.

Reply

Reginia Jennings February 25, 2014 at 7:20 pm

I read labels. I mostly look at the cards my son the type 1 diabetic eats low cab snacks daily.

Reply

Cstrickland5947 February 25, 2014 at 1:14 pm

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.

Reply

Cicenhower June 11, 2017 at 3:58 pm

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.

Reply

ccantrell1 February 25, 2014 at 11:08 am

Never going without reading food labels again! They are confusing but once you understand them then you will be eating a whole bunch healthier.

Reply

Emerson February 24, 2014 at 1:55 am

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 .

Reply

Ldavis February 20, 2014 at 6:03 pm

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.

Reply

wearnest February 20, 2014 at 2:29 pm

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.

Reply

kbeard7948 February 20, 2014 at 1:10 pm

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!

Reply

Cstrickland5947 February 25, 2014 at 1:15 pm

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.

Reply

mjoyner February 20, 2014 at 12:23 am

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.

Reply

wearnest February 20, 2014 at 2:25 pm

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.

Reply

preed February 17, 2014 at 11:01 am

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!

Reply

Stephanie Herndon February 16, 2014 at 3:15 pm

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.

Reply

Jodie Hammonds February 27, 2018 at 9:57 pm

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!

Reply

bpryor February 12, 2014 at 5:46 pm

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.

Reply

mboswell February 12, 2014 at 10:12 am

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.

Reply

preed February 17, 2014 at 11:05 am

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.

Reply

aschaeffer February 10, 2014 at 2:52 pm

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.

Reply

wwalker3804 February 5, 2014 at 12:50 pm

I have never read labels, guess I had better start.

Reply

Ldavis February 20, 2014 at 6:01 pm

They can be a little tricky so read carefully when you do start.

Reply

heidi graves June 30, 2015 at 1:59 pm

ME TOO : D

Reply

dbalding7689 February 4, 2014 at 5:09 pm

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.

Reply

mhood July 2, 2014 at 12:03 am

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.

Reply

mhicks January 31, 2014 at 10:09 am

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!

Reply

sladet January 28, 2014 at 6:29 pm

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.

Reply

btubbs February 12, 2014 at 8:51 am

My daughter also has alergies. She is allergic to peanuts and soy mainly.
Try finding things today that dont have soy in them.

Reply

sgerhardt September 6, 2016 at 5:14 pm

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.

btubbs January 28, 2014 at 10:31 am

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.

Reply

hyoung1 January 23, 2014 at 3:50 am

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.

Reply

Stephanie Herndon February 16, 2014 at 3:18 pm

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.

Reply

beasterling March 1, 2014 at 12:57 pm

Sugar free is definitely awesome way to watch your weight.

Aowens March 5, 2014 at 11:55 pm

My mom lost over 50 pounds by cutting out all carbs from her diet.

bkulis February 25, 2014 at 5:00 pm

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!

Reply

Reginia Jennings February 25, 2014 at 8:05 pm

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.

Reply

JALSTON February 26, 2014 at 3:07 pm

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.

Reply

fcarter-doreau June 17, 2014 at 6:17 pm

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!

Reply

sparrish February 28, 2016 at 12:22 am

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!

Averyel85 October 30, 2016 at 7:58 pm

Yes, I found this out the hard way. Just be cause its fat free or sugar free doesn’t always mean better.

atoney January 27, 2017 at 1:05 pm

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.

Sporterfield February 25, 2018 at 11:06 pm

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.

srussell August 22, 2016 at 4:16 pm

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.

Reply

tward3 March 13, 2017 at 12:44 am

I also read the labels. I believe its important to do so especially if you have health issues regarding what you eat.

jrousu October 3, 2017 at 11:45 pm

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.

AAtkin2020 October 5, 2020 at 9:10 pm

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

Cancel reply

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post: