Nutrition
Were in the grocery store, TRYING to be healthy— and then comes the dreaded task of looking at the nutritional label…
What on earth am I reading? What should I be looking for???
Lets make it as easy as pie….
HOW TO QUICKLY READ A FOOD LABEL:
SERVING SIZE: indicates typical–not recommended–consumption amount
calories say nothing of the overall health of the product (focus on ingredients first!)
fat content is not about quantity, but quality (stay away from trans fat and processed seed oils)
dietary cholesterol has little impact on cholesterol levels in your body (so don’t worry about this measure)
sodium is not evil (but essential), focus on overall food quality and your kidneys should balance your sodium levels
carbohydrate tolerance is very bioindividual
added sugar is one of the most important things to look at (and avoid)
extra nutrient content is great, but most micronutrients should come from whole foods that have no label
read the ingredients list first (if you don’t recognize something, your body won’t either)
- <6 ingredients is ideal
- listed by decending weight
- manufacturers will use 2+ forms of sugar so they appear lower on the list
- parenthesis can make certain ingredients seem to be more/less
- be cautious of vague ingredients like “natural flavors” or “spices”
- gluten is not listed as a top allergen
There’s lot more to go over, but this was just a QUICK overview.
But, if you’re a nutrition nerd like me, look for the extension of this under our online courses!
