Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Organic, All Natural, Farm Raised….the list goes on and on. But what do all these labels really mean?
When purchasing packaged food you always want to be skeptical of food labels and health claims. Food Marketing is big business and a lot of the labeling claims you see on packaged foods are not regulated. This goes for both conventional and organic food. Think about it, all these food companies are competing with one another for your business and they want you to buy their product, so they are going to put whatever they can on their labeling to grab your attention, even if it’s not entirely accurate.
No Sugar Added
A product can claim “no sugar added” even if they use artificial sweeteners. The most commonly used artificial sweetener in these products is sucralose (splenda), which is up to 1,000 times sweeter than table sugar and 3x’s sweeter than aspartame. You will see this in ketchup, salad dressings, and BBQ sauces that claim “no sugar added” and is usually the last ingredient listed.
A study on sucralose and the gut microbiome (bacteria in the gut), found sucralose altered the gut microbiome by decreasing beneficial bacteria by up to 50%. Additionally, they found that 12 weeks after the study, the beneficial bacteria in the gut had still not recovered. Which means that even after sucralose was no longer being consumed the gut was still negatively affected.( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/18800291/)
No High Fructose Corn Syrup
Yes, I think we all know by now that high Fructose corn syrup is bad for you. However, since the public has become more aware of the dangers of high fructose corn syrup, the food industry has started using alternative sugar syrups such as agave, malt syrup, and brown rice syrup. These syrups are often promoted as a healthier form of sugar, however, they are ultimately broken down into simple sugars in our bodies, just like cane sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. So just because something is made with brown rice syrup vs. high fructose corn syrup, doesn’t make it better for you. Sugar, is Sugar, is Sugar!
Gluten-Free
This has become a misunderstood “buzz” word lately rather than a responsible food label. Gluten is a protein that is only found in products that contain wheat. And avoiding gluten is extremely important for individuals with celiac disease or those who are gluten intolerant. That doesn’t mean, however, that all gluten-free foods are healthier for you. And in most cases you will see “gluten-free” labels on products that never contained gluten in the first place like rice, oatmeal, and even water. Really!
Natural vs. Organic
“Natural” or “All Natural” is the most misleading term you will see on packaged food. The FDA, has no formal rule about when foods can be labeled “natural” – the group only has a policy regarding what the label should mean.
The USDA (the agency that regulates your produce, eggs and meat) on the other hand defines “natural“ as products that are minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients.
However, these products can still contain additives, hormones, GMOs, antibiotics, pesticides, and be loaded with added sugars (hey, cause sugar is natural).
Natural is NOT the same as organic USDA certified organic foods are grown and processed according to federal guidelines addressing, soil quality, animal raising practices, pest and weed control, and use of additives.
Produce can be called organic if it’s certified to have grown on soil that has NOT been treated with synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. As for organic meat, regulations require that animals are raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors, fed 100% organic feed and forage, and not administered antibiotics or hormones.
However, when it comes to processed food, just because a product is organic doesn’t mean its better for you if it still is loaded with sugar.
Hormone Free
Yes, you want to avoid added hormones in your food, however, the FDA has outlawed the use of hormones in all poultry and pork products. Therefore, all pork and poultry in this country are eligible to be labeled “hormone-free” or “no added hormones”. However, federal guideline to allow the use of hormones in beef and dairy cattle.
Farm Fresh
Yep, this one means absolutely nothing and is just there to make the item sound more appealing. If you want farm fresh, then go to your local farmers market or directly to the farm.
Cage Free/Free Range/Pasture
Cage-free means that the birds were not raised in cages. However, it does not give you any information on their living conditions. Cage-free Birds can still be house with hundreds of other chickens indoors and never see the light of day.
Free-range means that the birds have been allowed access outdoors but there are no specifications on how long, or the size or quality of the area.
Pastured-raised means the animals are mainly kept outdoors on pastures as close to their normal habitat, where they can dig, peck, eat bugs and seeds.
For products using these labels, look for a 3rd party verifications like USDA certified organic or certified humane, which have strict standards in regards to the raising practices and living conditions of the animals.
Become an informed consumer and ignore the claims presented on the front of the package. Always read the ingredients list first. Don’t worry so much about the calories, but focus on the quality of the food. Foods are listed on an ingredients list in descending order by weight. So the first item listed is what the majority of the product is made of. As a rule of thumb your packaged food should have less than 5 ingredients. You should be able to pronounce what’s listed and recognize it as real food.