Food Labels: 101

It would be nice if all of our foods we eat just came from whole food sources; no boxes, no containers, packages etc., but in the real world it’s hard to eat like that all the time. So knowing how to read your food labels is so important to healthy eating and decision making.

My clients show me items in their kitchen and ask if it’s “OK” to eat or drink, but if you have some knowledge of how to read the label it will inevitably help you decide if you even want to buy that item or not!

Many sources say to start at the top and work your way down which makes sense- obviously checking the serving size then calories and so on. This seems pretty intuitive since that’s how the label is laid out for us.

However, when I read a label I read from the bottom up. I start with the ingredients- are they whole grains? Is the first ingredient something I can’t pronounce? Do the following bad words show up; white, enriched, high fructose, hydrogenated or syrup? If so, move on. Who cares what the serving size is at that point right?!

This picture chart below helps to break down what you are looking at to make sure you get the most out of reading the information on your food labels. Don't ever skip this step, it's the most important and should be used to determine if you even want to bring that item into your home to tempt you.

By: Storm Fitness Trainer Kate