Food Labels

Food labels are dictated by rules and regulations, but can still be very misleading. Take trans-fats for example. A product can advertise zero trans-fats and still have hydrogenated oils in the ingredient list. The very definition of a trans-fat is a hydrogenated oil. The FDA's position is that if the product has less than a half gram per serving, than the product can make that claim.

Also, a product can say it is "all natural" or "no artificial preservatives", and I assume this is not regulated because to look at an ingredient list proves otherwise. I went to the FDA site for food manufacturers at http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/default.htm and found no regulations or guidelines regarding the two previous claims.

If you are confused by nutrition fact labels and nutrition content claims on food packages, let me try to make it easier, and give you some tips on how to interpret their claims:

Tip #1: Don't trust any claims made on the package, such as "low-fat", "heart-healthy", "all natural", "sugar free", etc. Look instead at the ingredient list. If you do not know what some of the things listed are, it is probably not "all natural." If some form of fat is listed as one of the main ingredients, it is probably not "low-fat." Also, if a product lists high fructose corn syrup, glucose, glucose syrup, fructose, malted barley or corn syrup, sugar, brown sugar, molasses, or some really obscure names like maltodextrin and fructooligosaccharides, it contains sugar or a sugar-like substance.

Tip #2: In general, the shorter the ingredient list, the better it is for you. One exception to this is if it lists artificial flavors, preservatives, or colors.

Tip #3: I hope everyone is aware of this already, but an ingredient list is listed in descending order of predominant ingredient--if there is more sugar than anything else, it will be listed first.

Tip #4: This is related to tip #1, a food manufacturer can make a nutrition claim by stripping an ingredient of all of its healthy benefits, and replacing them with artificial so-called nutrients. For example, most breads are made with enriched bleached wheat flour. Some of us may think this is healthy because it is wheat, but essentially the flour is stripped of all of its beneficial properties to make it a "white" flour and then some nutrients are added back to the flour, thus "enriching" it. Therefore, the bread manufacturer can claim that the bread has ample amounts of nutrients by artificially adding them to the bread.


Let me just stop right here and say that most nutrients work synergistically in our bodies, meaning that they work together for optimum performance in the body. One good example of this are amino acids which make up protein.

Our body can make what are called non-essential amino acids, but we require other amino acids, essential amino acids, in our diet. If one eats animal products, including cheese, eggs, milk, and meat, their intake of essential amino acids is probably adequate. However, if one does not consume any form of animal products, then they must consume plant products in combination to provide all of the essential amino acids. For example one can eat corn and beans at the same meal and get all of the essential amino acids. Otherwise, if over time one does not eat essential amino acids in the right combinations, than their body will suffer from a protein malnutrition called kwashiorkor or marasmus. This is why some vegans start to lose their hair, or their skin becomes pale, dry, and cold.

Other synergistic vitamins and minerals include calcium and vitamin D--vitamin D is essential in the absorption of calcium in our bones and tissues, thus vitamin D is added to milk. Also, an adequate amount of vitamin A is needed to prevent night blindness. However, it must be combined with niacin, vitamins C, D, E, pantothenic acid, zinc, selenium for optimum absorption and use by the body.

This is just what we know through science, but nature knows best. God created foods to be eaten in tandem for maximum nutritional benefit. I think even scientists would admit that they don't know how all foods work together in our bodies for our health. We must eat a variety of real food to get the maximum benefit of all of its nutrients, and naturally occurring nutrients are best.

Tip #4: Always look at the serving size. The nutrient claims on a Nutrition Facts Label are determined by the serving size. For example, one serving of a certain lemon/lime carbonated beverage is 1 cup. One cup contains 26 grams of sugar. To put this in perspective, one teaspoon of sugar weighs 4.2 grams, so there are 6.2 teaspoons of sugar in one 8 oz. serving of this beverage. If your child drinks 4 servings (1 cup each) of this beverage a day, they are probably consuming their whole daily recommended allowance of carbohydrate from this beverage alone. That is less than 3-12 ounce cans of this sweetened carbonated beverage a day. I know some kids are consuming much more than this, and we wonder why they are hyperactive!

All of this makes me mad. The reason the FDA has so many rules and regulations for nutrient content claims and nutrition facts labels is because food manufacturers are trying to irresponsibly claim fictitious data to sell their product. That is their motivation, not our health. We must be smarter and more informed than they are, so we can make good choices without their "help."