Healthy Cooking by design

“Low-Fat”, “Healthy”, “No-Trans Fats”, “Cholesterol-Free”, etc.  Advertisers know the latest buzz words and how to jump on the band wagon.  Let’s consider this dilemma  in another context.  A shampoo commercial shows the model with shiny, shoulder-length, wavy hair and tells you that if you buy their brand, your hair will look the same.  Do you believe them?  If not, it is probably because you realize they have an ulterior motive.  Their top priority is selling shampoo.  Or even worse - the used car salesman.  Think of all the clever stickers and slogans he’ll put in the windows because his goal is getting the car off his lot, not having it run faithfully for the next number of years.

Food companies are no different.  They want to sell their product.  And, most of them, are not researching what is best for our bodies and selling that.  But, they are not the only ones to blame.  We are the ones clamoring for the “quick-fix” product.  We would rather take the fiber pill than eat nutritious food containing fiber.  And we like to eat all the sweet things without consequence, so companies create sugar substitutes.  And the list goes on.

We don’t have to be suckered by advertising any more.  Let’s care what goes into our bodies…enough to research it and then make adjustments in the food we buy.  To get you started, here are a few things I look for on product ingredient label and RDA lists:

• whole wheat, oats, or other whole grain
• a short list with recognizable ingredients
• serving size and number of calories, RDA percentage of fats, and sugars per serving

Remember that the Recommended Daily Allowance percentages are based on a 2000 calorie per day diet.  Most people watching their weight eat significantly less calories than that.  So if it says this product will give you 30% of your recommended fat intake for the day, just realize that it will be a higher percentage if you are consuming less calories.

Some things I avoid when reading a product ingredient and RDA list:

• unbleached enriched wheat flour (This is white flour with very little nutrition.  It is “enriched” because when it was not enriched, people who consumed it were malnourished.)
• soy fiber, inulin fiber (Added so they can up their fiber numbers.  Whole grains are so much more effective at providing fiber, as well as nutrition and other health benefits.)  This Los Angeles Times article says all fibers are not created equal and I agree.
• corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup (Makes you crave carbs, and signals your body to store fat.)
• hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated oils (Clogs arteries.)
• excessive calories, fat, or sugar.  This Web MD article provides some label-reading wisdom.

I hope I’ve inspired you to check out labels for yourself.  And don’t be afraid to start small.  Pick on thing - like your bread, or your breakfast cereal to educate yourself and start eating something nutritious.  You will feel so much better, that you’ll look forward to the next thing.

*Special photo thanks to vancanjay at stock.xchng.

2 Responses to “Read The Label, Not The Advertising”

Leave Your Name, Email, Website, and Comment