Food Labels: Fact or Fiction?

How often do you pick up items at the grocery and scan the labels? Do you understand them? Ever wonder if they are really accurate? Many consumers probably glance at them, but based on the current obesity rate today it seems as if people should pay more attention.

Selling food is a big business. Through clever marketing campaigns and tricky labeling, many companies are able to influence your feelings and buying decisions. However, food makers are required to follow guidelines set forth by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Such guidelines include listing health claims and noting the % of daily values per serving.

Health claims link a food or one of its components to a specific disease or health related condition. Classic examples include whole grain cereals advertising that they may lower cholesterol (General Mills) and more recently yogurt products (Yoplait) proclaiming that (3) servings of yogurt a day will help you burn more fat. Fortunately, these claims must be based on solid research. Moreover, only approved health claims may appear on foods that meet the set requirements.

What about daily values? Typically, the label reveals the % of daily value for total fat, saturated fat, total carbohydrates, dietary fiber and protein, which is based on consuming 2,000 calories per day. The daily value does make it easy to compare similar foods because the serving size is usually the same. The tricky part lies in discovering two critical pieces of information. First, the amount of calories required per day varies from person to person based on age and activity level. Second, it is necessary to determine if your serving size is smaller or larger than the serving size listed on the food label. Based on this information, consumers can begin to piece their own nutritional puzzle together.

However, be cautious as you can still be fooled by labels. For example, have you ever purchased fat free cooking spray? Many people assume it is fat free. The reality is that the serving size is so small (1/3 second spray or .25 grams) that it is virtually impossible to spray enough to coat a pan without exceeding the serving size by at least threefold. Another red flag may be the fact that there are 557 servings in one 6 ounce can. Suddenly, in a larger serving size, it is no longer fat free. Wow! Is that legal? Yes, simply because in the serving size listed the fat value is negligible. Ironically, the fat free product managed to add fat to your meal.

The bottom line is this: people should eat a balanced diet based on their activity level, age and caloric needs. Understanding all of this information simply serves as a roadmap to directing consumers to make more informed and healthier food choices.

References

Understanding Food Labels

American Dietetic Association

Brian Schiff, PT, CSCS, is a respected author, physical therapist and fitness expert. You can sign-up for his free online newsletter @ http://www.thefitnessedge.cc.

Copyright © 2005 Brian Schiff

---

Google News Updated : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:49:35 GMT US Near Changing Stance on North Korea as Terrorist - Wall Street Journal BBC News US Near Changing Stance on North Korea as Terrorist Wall Street Journal - 1 hour ago By JAY SOLOMON WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is hoping to announce as soon as Saturday that it is tentatively removing North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, in a bid to kick-start a stalled nuclear disarmament agreement, ... AP: US to remove North Korea from terror blacklist The Associated Press US May Remove North Korea From Terrorism List, AP Reports Bloomberg Los Angeles Times - Voice of America - Financial Times - The Miami Herald all 1,714 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:02:40 GMT McCain Lauds and Attacks Obama in Same Day - New York Times CBS News McCain Lauds and Attacks Obama in Same Day New York Times - 41 minutes ago Senator John McCain of Arizona and his supporters at a rally on Friday in La Crosse, Wis. By ELISABETH BUMILLER LAKEVILLE, Minn. - After a week of trying to portray Senator Barack Obama as a friend of terrorists who would drive the country into ... McCain Moves to Soften the Tone at Rallies Washington Post John McCain, speaking to supporters, tries to defuse an anti ... Los Angeles Times Reuters - DetNews.com - Austin American-Statesman - The Miami Herald all 304 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:08:14 GMT G-7 Commit to `All Necessary Steps' to Stem Global Meltdown - Bloomberg Voice of America G-7 Commit to `All Necessary Steps' to Stem Global Meltdown Bloomberg - 1 hour ago By Simon Kennedy Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Group of Seven finance chiefs, meeting after stocks plunged and as a global recession looms, vowed to prevent the failure of vital banks while failing to unveil new initiatives for thawing credit markets. Group of 7 Nations Seek Coordination in Rescue New York Times In latest bold step, Treasury will buy bank stakes The Miami Herald CNNMoney.com - The Associated Press - Boston Globe - FN Arena News all 890 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:03:42 GMT Genomics project unites four Wisconsin research institutions - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Genomics project unites four Wisconsin research institutions Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - 19 minutes ago By KATHLEEN GALLAGHER Wisconsin’s four biggest academic research institutions will collaborate on an initiative aimed at giving the state national stature in the fast-emerging field of individualized medicine, Gov. Marshfield Clinic gets biggest donation yet Chicago Tribune Wis. governor unveils gene research triangle Forbes Bizjournals.com - GenomeWeb News (subscription) - WJFW-TV - WISN.com all 51 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:29:44 GMT Paulson Indicates Need to Purchase Bank Equity `Soon as We Can' - Bloomberg Telegraph.co.uk Paulson Indicates Need to Purchase Bank Equity `Soon as We Can' Bloomberg - 1 hour ago By John Brinsley and Rebecca Christie Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) -- US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson indicated that pumping government funds into banks is a priority and said financial markets will remain volatile. US planning to buy equity in financial institutions Reuters Treasury Weighs Investing In Banks Washington Post International Herald Tribune - MarketWatch - CNNMoney.com - Bizjournals.com all 1,783 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:21:05 GMT Democrats Are Gaining, Registration Data Shows - New York Times Los Angeles Times Democrats Are Gaining, Registration Data Shows New York Times - 2 hours ago By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE and GRIFF PALMER Some longtime Republican strongholds in New York are becoming increasingly Democratic, a striking change driven by demographic shifts, intense voter registration drives by Democrats and allied groups and sagging ... Campus registration drives in full swing KARE Ott, Hook face off for open county office St. Joseph News-Press The News-Press - Winston-Salem Journal - Tampabay.com - Beaufort Gazette all 739 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:20:33 GMT Bush: US authority able to solve financial crisis - People's Daily Online Telegraph.co.uk Bush: US authority able to solve financial crisis People's Daily Online - 1 hour ago US President George W. Bush arrives in the Rose Garden at the White House to makes a statement on the economy in Washington, October 10, 2008. President Bush vows action on financial crisis Los Angeles Times Bush's Lullaby to the Markets Washington Post Birmingham Star - Wall Street Journal - CNN - Bloomberg all 1,302 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:12:49 GMT Rss Feed Reader Increase Search Engine Traffic

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

How to Use Flax Seed

You can eat whole flax seeds but you need to... Read More

Fat: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

When it comes to planning a healthy diet, fat is... Read More

Food Intolerance

Many people experience unpleasant reactions to foods they have eaten... Read More

Alkalize Your Way to Better Health

Today we're shifting our focus from wealth to health. First... Read More

Is Chocolate A New Health Food?

Could it be possible that our beloved chocolate may actually... Read More

The Toxic Truth About Artificial Sweeteners

The problem with sugar is that it doesn't contain any... Read More

Fibromyalgia: How Simple Sugars Turned Fatigue into Energy

Several years ago, Marilyn M. couldn't even spell fibromyalgia.Now she... Read More

Dietary Guideline USA

Are you sick and tired of the confusion about our... Read More

A Diet Deficiency Today is a Clinical Event Tomorrow

For those of us that understand nutrition and it's importance... Read More

Is Vitamin E Beneficial Or Harmful? Cutting Through The Clutter Of Different Scientific Opinions

Numerous reports have recently appeared in both the lay and... Read More

10 Flaxseed Facts to Improve Your Nutrition

Flaxseeds may be the smallest seeds you will find in... Read More

Sugar, America?s Drug of Choice

Many people use sugar as medicine. Sugar tends to change... Read More

Fruits and Vegetables and Phytochemicals

I'm willing to bet you probably haven't heard the word... Read More

Finding Your Reason Why to be Healthy

The most incredible thing you can do for yourself is... Read More

Changing Your Eating Habits

Because all of us have been brought up eating junk... Read More

Fish Oil

The research in support of dietary omega-3 fatty acids (such... Read More

9 Tips to Stop Food Cravings and Help You With Your Diet

Most of us are "regular" people. We don't eat the... Read More

Just The Tea FAQs: Health Benefits (Part III)

The wonders of modern science continue to amaze us with... Read More

Let Your Freezer Be Your Ally!

Most recipes end with instructions to "serve immediately." You could... Read More

Blood Type and Diet

Eating right to suit your blood type" is a subject... Read More

Organic Food ? The Benefits of Natural and Organic Produce

Having spent most of my life living off of junk... Read More

Macrobiotics: Diet and Lifestyle for Long-term Health

A frequent misunderstanding about macrobiotics is that it is a... Read More

Fluoride: A Plot to Dull the American Mind

During the Second World War, the Germans used fluoride as... Read More

Maximizing Your Nutrition Dollar

Because of consumer demand, the food industry focus is on... Read More

Building Better Bones

"It is a bone-deep change you are going into, my... Read More