Consumers have been told that excess sugar, carbs, fat and other things in our food are bad for us. Food companies responded by marketing their “Free” foods. But is it really?
I will discuss these and other common labels in this article and what they mean to describe. Never be fooled by clever words again!
Calorie Free- Some foods and drinks, such as cooked food and sugar free gum, “Calorie Free . Nutrition label on the back it also says “0 calories” But are these foods and drinks really free of calories? Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that nutrition labels that say “calorie free” contain a lot have less than 5 calories per serving. Cola diets has about 2 1/2 or 3 calories. Although this number is small, it is still deceptive.
Fat Free- Another common complaint in food packages; Are these “fat free” foods really fat free? Well, maybe not. The Food and Drug Administration requires that food contain less than 5 grams of fat per serving to be considered “fat free.” This can actually add up to .5 over the course of the day. If you eat four servings of food labeled “fat free” but actually have 5 grams of fat, you’re consuming 2 grams of fat more than you thought. For someone who is trying to eat too much low fat diet, these “hidden” fats can make a difference.
Saturated Fat Free or Trans Fat Free- These fats basically follow the same pathways as general fats, as far as food labels goes. To be considered “saturated fat free” or “saturated fat free,” a food must contain less than .5 grams of fat per serving. These hidden fats can be more dangerous than common fats. The press is not recommended in any quantity. If you think you are eating without exaggeration, but you really are, you may run into health problems. you don’t know why.
These are some of the most common food allergies made by the company. While these are not lies to consumers, they are very misleading. Many Americans are trying to watch what they eat and consume healthier foods when they can. Food companies make it difficult for us.
But what shall we do? One tip is to become more knowledgeable about nutrition and nutrition labels. The FDA requires that all ingredients in the food or drink be listed in the “ingredients” section. This is one place where you can pick up on these pieces missing from the regular title.
The easiest “hidden fat” is to find fat. If the food contains hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated oils, then it contains some fat. Your best bet is to simply stay away from any food containing these ingredients.
The Internet is a great resource for nutrition information. There are pages out there with nutritional information on just about any food or drink imaginable. These pages will give you 2.5 calories and .4 grams of fat that the nutrition label doesn’t. One such accurate and user-friendly website is www.fitday.com. Refer to my article on Top 5 Online Resources for Nutrition Information for more resources.
Armed with the right information and a little nutrition-label reading know-how, you too can learn to better consume these foods /a>.
Sources:
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www.caloriecontrol.org
www.fitday.com
