Do Your Favorite Foods Add UP?

January 25, 2012 at 10:14 pm Leave a comment

In a study published in 2010, it was found that a product’s calories could be 8% higher than what is written on the label. The FDA is responsible for making sure these labels are accurate, but with 3000+ new products coming out each quarter, they can not keep up with the demand. Until the FDA becomes more productive, we are left to decide for ourselves if products are being truthful. The following are three ways to spot inconsistencies:

1. The numbers don’t add up. For instance, total carbohydrates should be the same or greater than the grams of sugar and fiber added together. If a chocolate chip cookie has 3 grams of fiber and 8 grams of sugar, but only has 8 total carbs, it is incorrect and the total calories are wrong as well.

2. 100% nutrients. Cooked foods and pasteurized juices are unlikely to contain high amounts of certain nutrients such as Vitamin C because heat reduces these nutrients. If one of these products states there is 100% of your Vitamin C needs, make sure ascorbic acid is in the ingredient list, meaning it was add\ded after the fact.

3. Sodium is missing. If salt, or any form of it, is on the ingredient list, then it should also be on the label, even if it’s only 5 mg. Always compare the ingredient list to the label.

For more tips on how to read labels, go to www.mindyblack.com