By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA

Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA

I was thrilled to take the other end of the microphone as guest expert for quick healthy living spot on KOMO News Radio in Seattle, WA, thanks to Matthew Holt and courtesy of The Health Care Blog.

I talked with hosts John and Nancy about the importance of reading the ingredients on food packages.  Reading only the front food labels on food products can be misleading.

Consumers need to be aware of the packaging.  The front of the package (FOP) can make the consumer believe that the food they are about to buy is healthy, when it may not be.

It’s important that consumers turn the package to the side or back and read the list of ingredients.

Since reading the ingredients can be time consuming, it’s best to go food shopping when you’re not so pressed for time.  Once you find products you like, keep a shopping list for the next time you head down the aisles.

Also, don’t forget about the local farmers markets.  They have great fresh produce.  Organic and whole foods stores are also good choices too.

Food labels need to be accurate and are necessary to help consumers make healthy choices.  In fact, the government is aware of the misleading front of package labels.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to develop a regulation that helps identify nutritional criteria that manufacturers have to meet before putting claims on the front label claiming their product nutritious.

Read more on misleading food labels:

FDA Gets Tough With Misleading Front Food Labels

Healthy Eating? Find Out What Could Be Hiding In Your Foods