When we pick up a packaged item in the supermarket we are attracted to the marketing material on the front.  Enticing picture, vibrant colours, tasty ingredients and various health claims.Â
So it should be healthy, right!?  Learning to look a little closer to the finer details will help you make healthier choices.  This month’s blog will highlight the main areas to focus on.
Food Label Know How
The traffic light symbols are there to be used as a guide only (see picture below). A calorie is a unit of energy.
Most packaging shows Energy as kJ (kilojoules) or kcal (calories).
In the UK we tend to use calories. One calorie is equal to 4.2 kilojoules.
Red will signify if it is high in fat, sugar or salt and should be had in moderation.
Saturated fat should be avoided. A man should have no more than 30g per day and a women 20g.
Amber shows foods which are neither high or low so can be consumed most of the time.
Green is normally a healthy choice.
The lined area on this tub of ice cream (right picture), shows you the values per 1/4 tub.
Have half a tub and you would need to double all the figures!
It’s important to look more closely to see what size portion the label figures are referring to (see pictured examples).
Then you can adjust the figures if you know you are eating more or less of it.
If you are unaware, it’s easy to think the figures are for the entire product!
The % mark indicates how much that serving size would contribute to your recommended daily intake.
Calories (kcal) shown on packaging should only be used as a guide.
Every single one of us processes food differently and the figures don’t always represent the energy needed to digest the food.
Traffic Light System Limitations
What the traffic light system fails to tell you is what other ingredients are in the product.
How often do you look at the full ingredient list?
If you don’t recognise many of the ingredients then it is likely to be ultra processed.
Additives and preservatives are known to play havoc with our gut microbes so being aware of how much ultra processed foods you are consuming is worth monitoring regularly.
You want food that is nutrient dense, not full of false ingredients. Let’s analyse all the additional ingredients in a ‘simple’ egg sandwich below.
Not all ‘meal deal’ sandwiches are as fresh as you’d like to think.
Look at the ingredients list in this sandwich.
The emulsifiers added are used to bind the product together, make it last longer, improve its dough strength, volume, taste and texture.
Food manufacturers and technologists excel at creating products that tantalise our taste buds and leave us craving more.
It's no coincidence that we’re genetically wired to seek out these flavours and become addicted to them.
Sometimes, we need to grab a quick bite, and that's perfectly fine. However, being more mindful can help you make better choices when selecting packaged processed foods.
Pre-packaged Supermarket Bread VERSUSÂ Bread from the Bakery
The pre-packed ingredient list below is from a popular brand of wholemeal bread which you would find in most supermarkets.   The ingredient list is quite surprising with  preservatives, emulsifiers and sugar. | Compare the ingredients list below of a wholemeal loaf baked in the bakery and you will see a huge difference.  No preservatives, emulsifiers or sugar. You can store this in your freezer and just take out what you need when you need it. |
Be more mindful of the packaged items you buy.  Don't rely on the traffic light system or front-of-package marketing. Instead, check the ingredient list for an accurate reflection of the product's quality.
August 2024
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