Day 16: Label Fable

Food labels are way too complex. There are columns and rows, grams, percentages, asterisks, and no rules on how much is too little or too much. Wouldn't it be nice if nutritional fact labels were clear and simple? I am thinking perhaps something like this...

Well while I work on getting those labels to change so it is easier to decipher good food from bad food, here are some quick tips that might help.

- If there are more than five ingredients, you may be entering the danger zone.

- If you cannot read the ingredient name, question the food.

- Watch out for artificial ingredients. Avoid hydrogenated vegetable oil, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, food dyes.

- Remember the 5-20 rule. If it has less than 5% of the nutritional daily value for a particular ingredient, it may not be healthy. Above 20% of the daily value is good (unless we are talking about fat, sugar or sodium).

- Multiply by the "servings per container" number if you are planning on finishing the entire container of food. They will get you every time with this one. Those 20 ounce bottles of soda have 2.5 servings each, and most people don't stop after just 8 ounces. Although for babies it is perfectly acceptable to start soda early!! (sarcasm, but wow!! to the ad below)

- Every 4 grams of sugar is a teaspoon. Count out the number of teaspoons before you eat or drink that product and ask yourself if you would dare eat that many of spoons of sugar for the item in your hand.

- Just because the box says "Healthy!" "Good for you!" "Diet" or "Lowfat" does not mean that it is good for you. Read the back of the box and decide that for yourself.

So those are some basics. In interim, i't sleep time!