Love Your Labels!
- Written by Robyn Holder Robyn Holder
- Published: 19 January 2020 19 January 2020
It’s a fact of life that many of us, myself included, need to rely on packaged foods. One of the best things you can do for your health is learn how to read a product label. They can be confusing!
Some easy rules to follow are:
- The first ingredient in the food should be the food. Right?! For instance, the first ingredient in pomegranate juice should be pomegranate, not apple juice.
- The ingredients should be recognizable…and you should be able to pronounce them. If you can’t pronounce something in your food, do you really want to eat it?
- Try to avoid “fake” foods – like chemical sweeteners, hydrogenated oils and dyes. Look for sugar and butter instead. Does your food have to be a certain color? Usually not.
- Don’t fall for marketing claims on the front of foods. Low sodium! Gluten free! Natural flavors! Read the back and check the ingredients.
- Look for packaged foods with less than five ingredients – always a healthier choice.
- Be aware of serving sizes. Oftentimes smaller packages contain more than one serving, and you’ll get a whopping number of calories if you eat the whole thing.
While we all like the convenience of packaged products, get in the habit of shopping for whole foods – foods in the produce aisle. They don’t need a food label! Grab delish veggies and fruits. Make sure your proteins are good ones – try to buy organic meats and fish without additives, and make beans from scratch, or at least prepared ones that are just beans.
Full Circle Vitality offers a dynamic, interactive Let’s Learn Labels class you can bring to your office, your next sales meeting, or a great Lunch & Learn at your company! In one quick hour, we can teach you how to decipher labels and make healthier choices – all while having fun!
Give us a call today to schedule! To Your Vitality!
