What Does That Food Label Really Mean?

What Does That Food Label Really Mean?

By: Josh Proch, CSCS, Pn1

A walk down the grocery store aisle can be pretty confusing, not mention misleading, when you are trying to eat healthy.

You will find foods labeled “natural”, “sugar-free”, “AHA heart healthy”, “grass-fed” and many more. But what do these terms really mean and do they really mean they are any healthier.

Here is a list of some common terms you will find and what they mean.

#1. Fat-Free

To be labeled “fat-free” a food must contain less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving. However, if you eat more than the recommended serving it may no longer be fat-free and many foods labeled this way have very small recommended serving sizes.

#2. Sugar-Free

To be labeled a sugar-free food is the same as fat-free in that it must contain less than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving. Additionally, these sugars are often replaced by artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols to provide calorie free sweetness.

#3. AHA Heart Healthy

To receive the AHA Heart Healthy label a food must meet or exceed per label serving of fat less than 6.5 grams with less than 1 gram and/or less than 15% of calories from saturated fat, trans fat less than 0.5 grams, cholesterol less than 20mg, less than 480mg sodium, and 10% or more of one of the six following nutrients: vitamin A, vitamin C, Iron, Calcium, Protein, or Dietary Fiber.

However, there are many highly processed foods that meet this standard, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are healthy or will help you achieve your weight loss and fitness goals.

#4. Labeled Calories

The FDA allows a 20% range in either direction, meaning that a label that states 200 calories could be anywhere between 160-240 calories. This is one of the reasons we do not recommend calorie counting because at the end of the day you could be off by 20%.

#5. Natural vs. Organic

“Natural” sounds healthy and must be similar or same as organic right? Well, not exactly.

A food labeled as “natural” does not mean organic and is often assumed to mean minimally processed and does not contain any hormones, antibiotics or artificial flavors. However, the FDA and USDA have no regulations on labeling a food as natural, with the exception of meat and poultry the USDA says that “natural” must signify no artificial ingredients and to be minimally processed.

“Organic” on the other hand must meet stricter requirements. Here is a table listing the differences.

#6. Grass-Fed vs. Organic Beef

“Grass-fed” means that the cattle were allowed to forage and graze for their own fresh food. In the winter they are allowed to be fed close substitutes, such as alfalfa.

“Organic” beef means that the cattle cannot be confined to a feed lot for an extended period of time, they cannot be overcrowded or live in unsanitary conditions, they cannot be exposed to pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, hormones, GMOs, or other synthetic contaminants.

However, to be granted “organic” is very expensive and many farmers are unable to afford the label. Whereas the “grass-fed” label is much cheaper and affordable for farmers.

#7. Free-Range

The USDA has only defined the term “free-range” for chickens, not eggs or other livestock. For chickens it means that they must have access to outdoor space. This access could be spending the day outside and returning to the coop for the night, or that a hatch gets opened for just a few minutes each day giving them the opportunity to go outside.

#8. High-Protein

Foods labeled “high-protein” only mean that at least 20% of calories come from protein. Unfortunately, many foods meet this standard but only contain 7-10 grams of protein. A serving of protein should be around 20 grams.

#9. Gluten-Free

It you are allergic to gluten this can be important, otherwise it is meaning less for most people and doesn’t mean a food labeled as “gluten-free” is any healthier. Afterall, you can find many gluten-free cookies, crackers, and other snack-foods.

#10. Meatless Meat

Look for more and more meatless options to hit the shelves in the coming years but are these really healthy. We really don’t know yet, but many of these options are highly processed and eating a less processed food diet is always recommended.

A better option would be to make your own veggie burgers from black beans, so you know what all is going into them.

Keep these tips in mind as you grocery shop to help you make the best decisions and know what the labeling actually means. But as with all things the standards for labeling change over time, so be curious and look up what’s in your food and how it is labeled if you don’t know what it means. Check the labels to see what is in it. The more stuff and harder to pronounce the most likely the less healthy it is for you.

If you are looking to get started with a fitness plan check out our 30-Day Personal Training Experience…

https://pittsburghnorthfitness.lpages.co/30-day-personal-training-experience/

Here’s What Our Members Have To Say…

Try our 30-Day Personal Training Experience For ONLY $97!