Reading food labels can be a little confusing but here are a few tips that will get you in and out of the store quickly and confidently.
Keep in mind when you are looking at any ingredients these easy to remember points and understanding labels will seem effortless . The ingredient listed first is the most represented in in the product. And anything that is in the product that is less than 2% by weight and or amount they can be listed in any order. It as a general rule of thumb basically that the first few items listed on the label are the main ingredients in the product in the product.
Another tip that is easy to remember is the difference between trans fat and/ or saturated fat and unsaturated fat is trans or saturated fats are the bad fats that can increase your risk of heart disease while unsaturated fat( mono or poly saturated fat) are the good fats.
And lets not forget about Carbohydrates -the key to remember here is that you want to confirm that most of the carbohydrates are coming from dietary fiber and not sugar.
After you use the tips you may find that some of the food that was on your list may not be as healthy as you thought. That is fine because there is always a solution.
- Shop the perimeter of the store - There are no labels only whole foods like meat, cheese, fruit and vegetables. I have been in and out in less than 30 minutes and had completed most of my shopping for the week.
Your local community college is a great source for food programs that can educate you on labels. They usually send out their program booklet about 3 times a year loaded with enrichment classes and the cost is not to bad either. If that is not convenient you can always join our network for access to our online workshops and more.
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