9 out of 10 Parents fail to truly read nutrition labels

Just because a label says "whole grain"  "all natural" or "no sugar added" doesn't mean its good for our children.  Think about it when have you ever seen a label so "half-grain" instead of whole, or "sugar added" or "not natural". Even its labeled "Natural-sugar-free-whole-grain" it could still be loaded with " Trans fats, mono-sodium glutamate (MSG), aspartame, and/or  high-fructose corn syrup". Get in the habit of reading labels and understanding them even on fresh fruit its important to understand what the label means. 

Reading the labels on Fruit:

Conventional Fruit Labels: Begin with the number 4, and never begin with the number 9.

Genetically Modified Fruit Labels: Begin with the number 8. Note that it begins with 8, not just contains the number 8. This is often a 5 digit number.

Organic Fruit Labels: These fruit labels always contain 5 digits, and begin with the number 9. Always check and make sure, as some “organic” products have been known to be deceptively labeled.

Read More about how to know if your food is "Conventional, Organic or Genetically Modified" 

From: Natural Society

A study conducted by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) found that nine out of ten mothers failed at reading nutrition labels, and did not understand the nutrition information on children’s foods. According to the BHF, 76% of mothers felt that “wholegrain” meant the product was likely to be healthy. In addition, they also thought that a product claiming it was “a source of calcium, iron and six vitamins” meant that the product was likely to be healthy.

The confusion in regard to food labels is not an issue that pertains only to parents, and despite this study occurring years ago, it is still very true today that the majority of people aren’t savvy in reading food labels. The research found many individuals are tricked by the deceptive labeling of sugary foods specifically. The BHF went on to say that Nestle’s Honey Shreddies, which claims to be “wholegrain” and will “keep your heart healthy and maintain a healthy body”, has 13.6g of sugar.This is more than a ring doughnut in an average serving size, which totals 9.2g of sugar. High levels of sugar consumption can be the culprit for a number of health defects and issues faced today, while the massive over-consumption of sugar has some people asking: Is sugar becoming the next tobacco?

With all the harmful ingredients added to our food supply today, it is critical to not only start reading nutrition labels, but also memorize which ingredients to avoid.

Reading Nutrition Labels | Learn of What You’re Eating

Sugar is not the only concern when investigating the real contents of a food product. Trans fats, monosodium glutamate (MSG), aspartame, and high-fructose corn syrup are but a few toxic additives that are usually incognito unless you are actively searching for them within the ingredients. This alone highlights the importance of not only reading nutrition labels, but also knowing what each ingredient is. Researching the properties of each additive before ingesting it is indeed a wise decision, and one that will ultimately pay off with an improvement in overall health.

Ingredients to Avoid | Alpha-Dexionic-what?

If while reading nutrition labels you’re wondering whether certain ingredients are written in Greek or Hieroglyphics, then reconsideration of the purchase is probably necessary. Given the current process of food creation in the U.S. and other developed countries, chances are that this ingredient is some form of a synthetic chemical, and one of many ingredients to avoid. A general rule is that if you cannot pronounce it, you should not eat it. Research what your food is composed of before bringing it home and cooking it, or putting it into your body. What you find may surprise you.

4 Health Foods with More Sugar than a Twinkie

Anthony Gucciardi  - Natural Society - April 11, 2012

Is sugar the last ingredient that has not been slammed by health conscious activists? Numerous crusades have been waged against GMOs (genetically modified organisms), aspartame, high-fructose corn syrup and trans fat, but where does sugar reside in the equation? Excess sugar consumption, which has now become an ‘average’ amount of sugar consumption for many families, has been linked to everything from DNA damage to excessive cancer growth — so where is the anti-sugar movement?

Some scientists and health experts are certainly declaring a health crisis over a large-scale ‘sugar epidemic’, but are you truly aware of how much sugar you intake on a daily basis? Even if you are consuming many health foods that are really free of other toxic offenders, chances are they may be containing a whopping amount of sugar — or at least enough ‘small’ amounts to set you over the edge throughout your daily nutritional intake. It is recommended you eat less than 16 grams of sugar per day (from natural sources) — even less if you are suffering from a serious health condition. A Twinkie has 18 grams of sugar in the processed form, and exceeds the daily sugar maximum in one health-threatening serving.

But what about health foods? Many contain just about as much or more than 18 grams, and it’s important to know which. Here are 4 health foods with more sugar than a Twinkie:

1. Yogurt

You may be consuming yogurt in order to take in some beneficial probiotics, but the truth of the matter is that yogurt is oftentimes loaded with sugar — it can even be added  in larger amounts by the manufacturer. The natural amount of sugar is about 12 grams of sugar per 6-ounce serving, which is below the daily allotment. One 6-ounce container of fruit-flavored yogurt, however, can contain 32 grams of sugar, which is way more than the daily recommended amount.

In order to avoid a high sugar content, look for high quality organic Greek yogurt (or avoid dairy altogether).

2. Tomato Sauce

Tomato sauce can be used for a number of different food items, but the amount in which it is used often exceeds the designated serving size. While the intended serving size is about half of a cup, many individuals use the entire cup for pasta or other meals. Many brands contain 11 or 12 grams per serving, which means a full cup can exceed 22 grams of sugar on average — more than a Twinkie.

3. Granola Bars

Granola bars can be loaded with sugar. Granted, it may sometimes be in the form of evaporated cane sugar. More often than not, however, it will be white sugar. I’ve personally witnessed many health-conscious individuals integrate at least one granola bar into their daily life without even thinking about how much sugar they’re taking in. In one instance, the sugar from the granola bars alone totaled around 50 grams! That’s way more than a Twinkie, and that’s from just one source.

Some products like Clif Bar contain around 22 grams per bar, which surpasses the daily intake level.

4. Pre-Made Smoothies

As with juice, you simply should not be buying pre-made smoothies from the grocery store or restaurants. Make your own instead; the nutrients will actually reach your body instead of degrading over time, which ultimately makes the juice nothing but a tasty load of sugar. Smoothies from places like Jamba Juice can exceed 77 grams of sugar, while Smoothie King has options that top 117 grams. These are certainly way beyond the healthy levels.