Healthy Recipes / Nutrition Information
Stacy Beeson, RD, LD
St Luke’s Health Solutions Registered Dietitian

April 7th, 2008:

Food Label Lingo:
What do the claims and messages mean?

Grocery shopping has become more difficult. We not only have more choices than ever – 45,000 items in the average grocery store, we also have a product so cluttered with claims it’s difficult to determine what’s inside. Below are the most common labels and what they mean. I probably don’t have to mention that in the end, it’s best to spend most of your time in the sections of the store that don’t need food labels = the produce area.

0 g Trans Fat: This means the product contains <.5 grams trans fat - notice it doesn’t not mean completely 0 grams. Trans fats are linked to increased cholesterol levels which can increase risk for heart disease.

LAST WORD: The goal for trans fat is a big 0 grams per day, not even .2, .3 or .4 grams. Avoid products with “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated oils” in the ingredient list, even if the product says it contains 0 g trans fat.

Fat-Free: This means the product contains <.5 grams fat per serving. Low-fat means the product contains <3 grams fat per serving. Watching your fat intake is important but you don’t need to go full-on fat-free. Recommendations are to keep fat to 25-35% fat which is 55-75 g per day for someone consuming 2000 calories per day.

LAST WORD: Low-fat products are fine choices. Fat-free products often have added ingredients to help disguise the missing fat.

Sugar-Free: This means it contains <.5 grams of sugar per serving. Sugar-free products often use sugar alcohols which can disrupt the gastrointestinal tract of some people. Often starch is added to sugar-free products, which also bumps up the calories.

LAST WORD: Choosing sugar-free products is up to you. Remember though, if you have diabetes, always read the total amount of carbohydrates, not just the total amount of sugar. A sugar-free product may say 0 g sugar, but list 20 g carbohydrates from the additional starches and sugar alcohols.

No Hormones: This means no hormones were used and is seen on beef and dairy products but need not appear on poultry or pork because hormones are not supposed to be given to chicken or pigs.

LAST WORD: If you can afford beef and dairy products raised without hormones, choose those. Organic products also do not use hormones.

No Antibiotics: This means no antibiotics were used and is seen on animal products such as red meat and poultry and dairy.

LAST WORD: If you can afford animal and dairy products raised without antibiotics, choose them. Organic labeling also means antibiotics were not used.

Organic: The term organic has finally been defined! To have this claim, the manufacturer must follow strict guidelines where no pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, hormones or genetic engineering practices are used.

Different Levels of Organic: Some foods are single ingredient foods that are 100% organic. Other foods are multiple ingredient foods that only contain some organic products. The following is a list of the different levels of organic and what they mean.

"100% Organic": No synthetic ingredients are allowed by law.

"Organic": At least 95% of ingredients are organically produced.
"Made with Organic Ingredients": At least 70% of ingredients are organic and the other 30% are from a list approved by the USDA. The USDA organic seal may not be displayed.

"Less than 70 percent organic": Products with less than 70 percent organic ingredients may list specific organically produced ingredients on the side panel of the package. The USDA organic seal may not be displayed. Look for the name and address of the Government-approved certifier on all packaged products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients.

LAST WORD: Choosing organic is an individual choice. It is better to consume conventionally-grown fruits, vegetables and whole grains, than to skip those foods entirely because of the cost. Whether you choose organic or not, focus on putting whole foods into your body. Remember too that when you choose organic you are investing in healthier soil, plants and animals. If you can’t choose all organic, at least choose the foods most impacted by pesticides: apples, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, pears, lettuce and peppers.

100% Natural: This means the product contains no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and has no synthetic ingredients.

LAST WORD: Nutritionally speaking, products labeled 100% natural do not mean they are better for you. They may have tons of sugar and fat and still carry the claim. Don’t be tempted to buy just because the product says 100% natural. Regular ice cream could be natural and still be high in fat or saturated fat.Look at the total overall package when choosing a product.

For nutrition questions, contact St Luke’s Health Solutions dietitian, Stacy Beeson at 381-2403.