Question:
Food labels are confusing HELP?
anonymous
2010-06-30 13:00:24 UTC
My son is starting to eat table food, and I think it is time to change my diet and start healthy habits with him. My problem is reading food labels. From articles I have read and some posts I have seen, I realize some labels can be confusing - stating fat free when it isn't, lowER fat isn't necessarily good (it still could be full of fat), organic, natural - I have no idea what the guidelines of using these terms are.
I bought a loaf of bread last night and wondered what kind I should get. I bought 100% whole wheat. Is that good? It sounds it. Is whole grain better, or the same? Which is the healthiest type of bread to get?
Does anyone have any information, or links on what the above words mean, so I may learn to shop
healthier for myself and my son.
Also, any recipe websites would be awesome too.

Another thing - sorry for so many questions. It was suggested to me to sprinkle Wheat Germ on his meals - good idea?
Nine answers:
Diane B.
2010-06-30 14:13:02 UTC
First, never go by what is stated on the front of a box or package...only go by what is listed on the "legal" nutrition label, and learn to read it.



So, for example, in "100% whole wheat* bread there will be some fat because the healthy germ of the wheat that's usually removed from "white" breads when they're milled is still present and it does have a little bit of fat (the fiber-rich "bran" has also been removed).

For other bread terms, "whole grain" means the bread may contain other whole *grains* besides wheat (like oatmeal, or buckwheat, etc).



The important things to look for in bread are that it be 100% whole grain/wheat, not just "made with whole wheat/grain" since that could mean that the whole grains are only a small portion of the total flour that's used. Tricky, right?...it's that way intentionally though unfortunately because the advertisers want to you think their products are healthy or whole grain or whatever by just using those buzzwords (on the front of the packaging especially).



I also try to find a brand of whole wheat bread that doesn't have high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), but that isn't easy to do. With all the negatives coming out about those, some breads (and many-many other foods) may be moving away from them but not quickly. Btw, "high fructose" corn syrup isn't the same thing as corn syrup even though it started out as corn syrup.

Totally whole wheat/grain breads can taste kind of dry and "stiff" though, so I always try to buy one that kind of squishes nicely when I pick it up (not Orowheat, for example...I usually get the Organics' brand 100% whole grain wheat bread, but I shop at Safeway and you may not).



The term "natural" hardly means anything these days, and can actually mean the food has a lot of things you wouldn't want if you're trying to eat healthy.

The term organic is a little better, but even that isn't always 100% what you'd think it is. Still worth going for if it's not out of your budget.



Sprinkling wheat germ (or wheat bran, or ground flax seed, etc) on his food, or mixing it in, is nice but not really necessary if he's eating nutritiously otherwise.





If you're wanting to go "healthy," you can read up about all that at various sites, etc (see below), and you will definitely want to learn to read nutrition labels since that's about the only way you can really tell what's in something.

The main things you'll want to look for will be the total amounts of:

...fat (learn about the good and bad "types" of fat though)

...sugar

...sodium (including, but not limited to "salt" which is sodium chloride)

Fiber is important too, but those 3 are first on the list. Both insoluble fiber and soluble fiber are good, and often found in healthy foods.



The legal "ingredient list" is also important because that lists (from most to least) the actual ingredients, not just whether they have fat or sodium, etc.

There you'll also see the list of preservatives, additives, colorants, etc.... in general, the fewer the better.



The "serving size" is another potential trip up from the advertisers since that's what the numbers will be for -- *one* serving size. You've got to check just what they're calling a serving size since it can be much smaller than anyone would consider a regular "portion" (so they can artificially deflate the numbers you'd see for a real portion size).



Most "processed" foods (those that are different than how they come off the plant or from the animal) are crammed these days with way too much fat, sugar, and sodium, even when you wouldn't expect those flavors to be in a food. Sometimes they're there just to make the shelf-life a lot longer, or to make them cheaper to manufacture too.

So if possible, it's best to eat "fresh" vegetables and fruits (or frozen if you don't mind the texture) as much as possible, for example, and to avoid heavily-processed packaged items. You'll be avoiding all the additives, extra chemicals, etc., etc., too.



And there's also *cooking* healthy. Many recipes can have good things in them, but may also cram in a lot of fat and/or sodium in particular along for the ride.



reading labels, eating healthy, nutrition, healthy eating for toddlers, kids, etc:

http://www.google.com/search?q=learn+nutrition+labels

http://www.google.com/search?q=learn+nutrition

http://www.google.com/search?q=recipes+healthy+toddler

http://www.google.com/search?q=recipes+healthy





P.S. You do want to avoid giving your son honey or yogurt till he's at least one (maybe two, can't remember) just because those have bacteria that *may* not be well tolerated by those with immature or low-functioning immune systems.



Congratulations on the new healthy eating habits for your son and for you!!



Diane B.
Eunice
2016-05-14 05:41:52 UTC
1
PamelaB
2010-06-30 14:32:14 UTC
I agree with La Vie Boheme. You want to pick products that have very few ingredients which usually means that they have less preservatives and less processing. Shopping at a store like WholeFoods will help you a lot.



The guidelines for organic, natural, etc. are really confusing. Right now it's hard to find a real, true definition of either.



As far as fat-free and low fat, my understanding is that many foods need to be altered from their natural state in order to make them fat-free (not in all cases, but in a lot of cases), sugar-free, etc. There's a difference between foods that are naturally without fat or sugar and those that are altered to take the fat or sugar away. In many cases, you need something (usually a chemical or something 'unnatural') to put the flavor back in.



A nutritionist recommended a web site to me today. I haven't had time to read in-depth, but I just visited. It's called realage.com. Dr. Oz is associated with it. Click on "eat smart" and see what you find.



Personally, I sprinkle wheat germ (and flax seed) into my son's food and my own. You won't know it's there and it's a good way to add a little extra nutrition.



The key is to start kids out with the good stuff so that they get used to it early....and then, one day, someone will give them a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese and it's all over!
Heidi
2010-06-30 14:15:51 UTC
the 1st person was right..whole foods are best. That means you should be able to name everything and every ingredient that's on your plate. The fewer the ingredients the better the food is for you. If you buy organic make sure it's USDA certified organic. Apples, grapes, all your berries, bell peppers, pretty much anything grown above ground w/out a thick skin should be bought organic. My OB explained it like this, nothing fried, white, or processed. 100% whole wheat is best, whole grain pasta, brown rice, lean meats, lots of fruits and veggies. NOTHING that comes from a box, like hamburger helper, EVEN if you fix it with ground turkey or chicken. There are still so many preservatives in there. Not to mention the "powder" that you use to turn into a sauce...YUCK! lol Good luck and way to go!!!! My family changed the way we eat about 6 months ago. My husband and I have lost about 45 pounds each and our children just look and seem to feel so much better. They weren't overweight by any means and we want to keep them as healthy as possible! GOOD LUCK! and again WAY TO GO! I wish there were more parents out there like you! :)
La Vie Boheme
2010-06-30 13:08:02 UTC
Whole foods are best. Whole wheat, all veggies, beans, nuts etc. The less processed, the better. Stay away from white bread, white rice, white pasta and any box that has an ingredient list that reads like a novel.
b-baller
2010-06-30 13:09:38 UTC
100 percent whole wheat is the healthiet kind. usually fat free is true, though it may mean extra sugar (most fat free ice creams). lower fat means that it is less than the product before it, the older model. cooks.com has good recipies, and i have no clue about the wheat germ. :)
Shoshana
2016-02-14 02:11:28 UTC
Paleohacks is the single biggest online Paleo community anywhere filled with tens of thousands of people actually thriving on eating Paleo. Go here https://tr.im/Szkt4



Inside, you'll not only get 125 delicious mouthwatering recipes, they've also included some great bonuses as well to help you get started as fast as possible.
anonymous
2016-04-17 16:35:15 UTC
Children need lots of fats to develop correctly. Breast milk is 55% saturated fats. It is nature's perfect food and children need fats at about 55% of their diet for the first 2 years of life. Then a gradual decline to the age of 18 where they need to be getting 30% fats through adulthood. It is best to breast feed a baby through the age of 2. The inner lumen of the intestines takes 2 years to fully develop and if they are given whole foods before that age, the intestines do not develop correctly and that is where a lot of allergies and asthma come from. Feeding children GRAINS and SUGAR is very bad for them and not a good idea at all, especially before their intestines develop completely. Bread made in America is heated to over 350 degrees and that alters the proteins in the bread. The proteins combine with the sugars in the bread to form the Maillard reaction (browns the food) and this is carcinogenic. The grains contain lots of goitrogens that are only removed by soaking the grains overnight before making the bread and companies do not do this. WHOLE RAW MILK from grass fed cows is one of the best foods you can give a baby. AVOID the pasteurized garbage from grain fed cows because it is loaded with toxins, altered proteins and fatty acids, along with the destruction of good bacteria that digest lactose. Get the book called "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon & Mary G. Enig, Ph.D. because it contains good information on what to feed babies. good luck to you
chen
2017-02-17 18:40:39 UTC
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