The labels on packaged food are not as simple as they sound sometimes. Here are some pointers for misleading labels.
I have a rule not to consume packaged products. So, no biscuits, no bread, no jam, no pasta, no chips, no ketchup. To keep the required fat content in my food I buy ghee, unsalted butter and cheese, from “reliable” vendors. It’s difficult to get these fresh. And I do not have the time to make them. So it's a balance I strike between my stress levels and my food
:-)
Many packaged products will be high on salt as a preservative. Or they will use poly unsaturated oil or trans fat which are cheap to obtain and harmful to the body
When it is imperative that we buy packaged things, we need to check the label that lists the nutrients and understand how these labels could mislead us.
1. The nutrient value given is usually for every 100gm or serving size. So it seems less damaging than it actually is. E.g. if a packet lists 10 gm of sugar, it usually means 10 gm for every 100 gm of the item. So if we use 250 gms of the item, it will have 25gms of sugar.
2. Another ploy that manufacturers use to mislead customers is to use technical/ chemical names of sugar. E.g. they may use terms like fructose or sucrose. These are finally derivatives of sugar and affect the body in the same way.
3. Many of us evaluate things looking at the Glycemic Index (GI) or Glycemic Load (GL). And if we see 0 GL or 0 GI on the label, we feel it is a safe product to buy. Usually, such items are high on different chemical compounds. GL and GI are indications for simple and complex carbohydrates. They are not indicators for chemical compounds. So, the product may look healthy but there maybe ingredients which are harmful.
Try and avoid buying and consuming packaged foods. Indulge in the goodness of fresh fruits and vegetables. When we cannot avoid buying packaged foods, read the nutrient profile carefully. Try and discern the hidden information in the text.
Comments