Originally published June 30 2005
Website offers tips on how to look past confusing food labels
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Dubious health claims litter the labels of foodstuffs up and down the grocery aisle, so, in a recent article, Mature Resources offers tips on how to read these claims, and what you should really be looking for to make healthy food choices.
Jazzercise offers up some helpful tips to navigate through the health claims on food products.
For example, the claim "helps maintain normal cholesterol" does not require the same supporting scientific evidence as "lowers cholesterol."
When shopping for those, you're better off skipping the health claims entirely and going straight to the nutrition label and ingredients list.
For heart-healthy eating, you want to limit your intake of both total fat and saturated fat.
By January of 2006, food manufacturers will have to identify the amount of trans-fatty acids (trans fats) as well.
Everyone is abuzz about carbohydrates these days, especially when it comes to weight loss.
The best meal plans provide 15 to 20 percent of calories from protein, 30 percent from fat (only 10 percent from saturated fat, however), and 50 to 55 percent from carbohydrates.
The trick is to forego refined sugars and starches (processed, packaged foods) in favor of fresh, fibrous ones (vegetables, fruits, whole grains).
Keep the fat content, especially saturated fat, low and your serving sizes appropriate.
Breads that are labeled "multigrain" or "hearty wheat" may prove no better than basic white bread when you read the ingredients list.
* The colorful Passion Mango Tangerine fruit drink in the juice section probably only contains 10 percent real fruit juice.
Look for labels that say "100 percent fruit juice", or you're only getting fancy sugared water.
You need to multiply the number of calories per serving by the number of servings in the package to get the total caloric value.
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