False information on food labels (10 pics + text)

Often, manufacturers of various food products indicate not very accurate information on the labels of their products. I offer you a selection of the most false statements on food labels on.



"No cholesterol"



Do you think it means: is it safe for the heart.

What it really means: Cholesterol is only found in animal products, and mark the absence of cholesterol is often used in products of plant origin, and who never did not contain. In addition, a large number of junk food does not contain cholesterol (eg, red wine and potato chips), that does not make them useful for the heart. In addition, studies show that dietary cholesterol does not affect blood cholesterol levels the way we thought about it a decade ago.

Alternative: Eat foods with less processed carbohydrates and sugars - the two major culprit of cardiovascular disease.

Green label



Do you think it means "forward, all right, you can eat."

What it really means: nothing. Green - the inherent nature of color, so we associate it with health benefits, even when it should not. The study, published in the Journal of Health Communication, found that consumers often find chocolate bar with a green label healthier food than the same bars, but with white or red label - even if they have the same number of calories.

Alternative: Do not pay attention to the front part of the label and check the composition on the reverse side or on the side.

Anxiety symptoms: List of ingredients comprising partially hydrogenated coconut oil, palm oil, fat, or vegetable fat and / or corn syrup, high fructose.

"Low sodium"



What it really means: food contain less sodium than the original product. Other variants of this phrase sound similar, but have different values ​​with low sodium content, or with less sodium content (at least 25% compared to the original), a weak sodium (50% compared to the original) and with a minimum of sodium (140 mg per serving or less).

Alternative: keep in mind that any product with a high sodium content is about 20% of your daily requirement. Choose those that provide 5% or less of the daily requirement of sodium per serving - and watch the number of servings.

"With the addition of vitamins"



Do you think it means: Includes all the benefits of fruits and vegetables.

What it really means: vitamins A, C, E and B are added to cereal, fruit snacks, and even sometimes in a cookie. Science has shown that the separation of vitamins and minerals from certain foods and adding them to the other does not imply the same effect for health.

Alternative: try to get the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants from the real, natural foods - fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats.

"Hormone-free chicken"



Do you think it means: a healthy and environmentally friendly lunch.

What it really means: almost nothing. The presence of hormones in chicken or pork is not allowed, so the lettering on the labels of the lack of hormones - the truth, but the animals are never given hormones.

The alternative: buy a natural, ecologically clean meat. The downside? It is more expensive, and there is no guarantee that the animal treated well.

"Made with added sugar" or "natural sweetener"



Do you think it means: no in the corn syrup, high fructose (HF CS), a really bad sugar.

What it really means: This product contains a lot of sugar. Even soft drinks are composed of synthetic fructose hated because you are likely to buy them than those containing more natural sugar. Nevertheless, the use of too much sugar in any form conducive to the accumulation of excess calories, causing weight gain explained nutritionists.

Alternative: Check the list of ingredients, knowing that the corn syrup, beet sugar, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate and malt syrup - all this sugar. Cardiologists recommend limiting consumption of sugar 100 calories (or 6 teaspoons) per day. Avoid products with sugar as one of the first three ingredients commonly found in desserts.

The mark "whole grain"



Do you think it means: the whole product from whole grains.

What this really means: the product comprises at least 8 grams per serving of whole grains. Evaluation of 100% whole grains means that the product contains not less than 16 grams per serving of whole grains. Sounds great, right? In fact, during the study it was found that many food products marked with "whole grain" have a high sugar and calorie content than products without the mark.

Alternative: Read part. Look for designation "100% whole wheat" or "whole wheat." Enriched or bleached ingredients? Put back.

"Calories per serving (100 g)»



Do you think it means: the number of calories in the package.

What it really means: it is exactly what it says. One catch: a package may contain, as it is said, 100 calories per serving iced tea, but a bottle that looks like it can drink in one sitting, may contain two or three servings, which leads to a double or triple the amount of calories consumed . Worse than that, the food industry may exceed officially declared number of calories.

Alternative: Always check the serving size before use. Also, if you're trying to lose weight, allow the possibility that food may contain more calories than advertised (and if your weight froze on one level and is not reduced, the reason may be the case).

"Product of organic origin"




Do you think it means: healthy and delicious.

What it really means: at least 70% of the ingredients must be organic to the manufacturer could boast that its product is "made with organic ingredients," or contain 95% organic ingredients to use the designation "organic product". But organic does not mean low-calorie. The study found that people think organic foods contain up to 24% less calories and, in some cases, more nutritious. Indeed, although organic meals generally contain more calories than their conventional counterparts.

Alternative: although prudent to buy organic foods, but organic snacks - potato chips, fruit snacks, candy - just a waste of money.

"Now 30% less fat"



Do you think it means: less fat will help me lose weight.

What it really means: manufacturers replace the fat with something else, such as sugar. It preserves the flavor of food. But added, typically a processed ingredients, making a low-fat version less useful than the original.

Alternative: choose foods that contain fat, heart-healthy (eg, monounsaturated fats found in avocados, chocolate, and omega-3 fatty fish), but in reasonable quantities