By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA
Reading the list of ingredients is more important than reading the front of the food label.
Food labels can be confusing and misleading
The description on the front of a food label may be quite different than the actual ingredients. A food label may look “healthy” because the packaging and the wording are precisely created to capture your attention.
Picture this
You’re walking through the bread aisle and you see wording on a label, that says “heart healthy,” “winner best food award” given by a popular magazine, “100% whole wheat,” “40% fiber in 2 slices,” and “22 grams of whole grains per slice.” You purchase it and why not? It seems healthy, but is it?
Read the list of ingredients
Turn to the back and read the list of ingredients. The first 2 ingredients are fine, “whole wheat flour” and “water,” but the next ingredient isn’t so healthy; “high fructose corn syrup.” Now, would you buy it?
It’s a big deal
So remember, make sure the next time you’re food shopping, read the list of ingredients, not just the front of the label. You may be surprised at what you find. Healthy nutrition is vital. Remember, prevention, it begins with you.
