You see them every time you’re in the grocery store. Labels with big claims, like natural, very low sodium, and sugar-free. It can get confusing,
Here’s a look at which labels to skip, which labels help you make healthy choices, and which are just hype?
“Some food labels are regulated by the FDA, but others aren’t and they may not mean what you think they do,” Trisha Calvo with Consumer Reports said.
If you want to choose food that’s produced without harmful pesticides and fertilizers, CR says to look for the USDA Organic seal, which has stringent verification rules.
Labels that say “pesticide-free” or “zero pesticides” aren’t regulated terms.
If you’re trying to cut back on salt, look for labels that read “low sodium” or “very low sodium”.
Low-sodium foods have 140 milligrams or less per serving, and very low-sodium foods have 35 milligrams or less per serving.
“No salt added” or “unsalted” are not always sodium-free.
These terms mean no salt was added during processing, but some foods naturally contain sodium.
CR says to tame a sweet tooth you’ll want to look for “no added sugars” or “sugar-free,” and “no added sugars” means … just that.
“For foods like tomato sauce and ketchup look for “no added sugars” on food labels but not “sugar-free” because tomatoes naturally contain sugar. It’s added sugars that you need to be mindful of,” Calvo said.
“Lightly sweetened,” “slightly sweet,” “a tad sweet,” and similar terms are not regulated.
CR says in the bread aisle, you can count on these labels – 100 percent whole grain and 100 percent whole wheat.
Products with a “multigrain” or “made with whole grains” claim … can contain refined grains.
Consumer Reports experts found fewer than half of the breads in a recent review labeled with terms like these were 100 percent whole grain.
“Excellent source of” or “high in” fiber guarantees that you’ll get at least 20 percent of the 28-gram daily value, or 5.5 grams, per serving
Still not sure about the item you want to buy? Just flip it over.
“The ingredients list and the nutrition facts panel are a better source to the nutritional information than the front of package claims.”
“Reduced sugar” is also regulated by the FDA. It means that the food has at least 25 percent less sugar than a comparable product.