a quick 2 cents about reading the labels

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taso42_DELETED
taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Always read the ingredients and nutritional info labels for anything you buy.

I used to never do this, for mainly 2 reasons: 1: I was lazy and couldn't be bothered. 2. I was ignorant and didn't even know what I was or wasn't looking for on these labels.

Well, regarding #1, I'm still lazy, but not about nutrition and fitness. And if you're on this site, you probably feel the same way about it. So the laziness excuse is now out of the way.

Regarding #2, part of the problem was all these crazy sounding ingredient names. Some are considered harmful, while others sound scary but aren't even bad. I thought it would be too overwhelming of a task to go and learn about every possible additive and ingredient to the foods I buy. Well, again, we're on this site, so might have some knowledge. We at least have the motivation and we're learning learning more and more every day.

If you don't know what all those weird-sounding ingredients are, then here's a tip: "less is more". The fewer ingredients something has, the better (generally). So, some examples... When buying peanut butter, look for a label lists just "peanuts" in the ingredients. Or possibly "peanuts, salt". When buying sliced turkey breast, look for "turkey", or possibly "turkey, salt". Never trust the "front" of the container where it might say stuff like "All Natural". Always flip to the back and get the real story.

Slowly over time you can research individual ingredients and decide whether you're ok with them. For example, I am currently "ok" with sucralose, but I am trying to limit it; whereas I avoid aspartame. You might take the opposite approach of me, or prefer to avoid both, or prefer to be ok with both. The bottom line is that you're well informed about what you're buying and putting into your body.
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Replies

  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    :flowerforyou: Knowledge is power! :bigsmile:
  • tgh1914
    tgh1914 Posts: 1,036 Member
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    Yeah, and most of the time the ones with less ingredients, you don't necessarily lose taste either. I LOVE my natural PB.
  • live2smyle
    live2smyle Posts: 592 Member
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    Yet another awesome post Taso...It is good to remind oneself that Rome was not built in a day. Learning all of this can get a bit overwhelming.

    Honestly half the time I give up and stick it back on the shelf, now I will think about your suggestion and look up one or two things that I have been wondering about one at a time!
  • starboardzor
    starboardzor Posts: 312
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    Agreed!
  • crazymama2two
    crazymama2two Posts: 867
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    something intelligent and full of knowledge on the boards today!! i agree with the less is more for sure. i was taught that awhile ago and like you i was lazy about it...
  • crazymama2two
    crazymama2two Posts: 867
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    Yeah, and most of the time the ones with less ingredients, you don't necessarily lose taste either. I LOVE my natural PB.

    definitely agree with you there!!
  • Celo24
    Celo24 Posts: 566 Member
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    GREAT post taso!!
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    bump!
  • Shawnalee0703
    Shawnalee0703 Posts: 1,093
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    Yeah, and most of the time the ones with less ingredients, you don't necessarily lose taste either. I LOVE my natural PB.
    Although some brands make an "all natural" peanut butter and it actually is only 90% peanuts! lol My peanut butter is truly, ingredients: peanuts. :-D Your's may be too, I am just stating that just because it says "all natural" like Taso says.... doesn't mean it doesn't include a bunch of unneeded oils, salts and sugars. ;)

    Excellent points Taso! :-D
  • DonM46
    DonM46 Posts: 771 Member
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    I learned about "all beef bologna" many years ago. My job took me to a packing house, and I pretty much had free reign over the place. When I arrived at the station where this particular product was made, I saw what went into it. Yes, all cow; however, specifically: Nostrils, lips, ears, and eyelids.

    Just yummy!
  • AdamATGATT
    AdamATGATT Posts: 573 Member
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    I am Adam, and I support this post.

    :bigsmile:
  • Shawnalee0703
    Shawnalee0703 Posts: 1,093
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    I am Adam, and I support this post.

    :bigsmile:
    DITTO.. although I prefer to be called Shawnalee
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    I learned about "all beef bologna" many years ago. My job took me to a packing house, and I pretty much had free reign over the place. When I arrived at the station where this particular product was made, I saw what went into it. Yes, all cow; however, specifically: Nostrils, lips, ears, and eyelids.

    Just yummy!

    Like that movie where they kept saying, "it's all lips and a**holes". I can't remember what movie that was.
  • TDGee
    TDGee Posts: 2,209 Member
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    I learned about "all beef bologna" many years ago. My job took me to a packing house, and I pretty much had free reign over the place. When I arrived at the station where this particular product was made, I saw what went into it. Yes, all cow; however, specifically: Nostrils, lips, ears, and eyelids.

    Just yummy!

    Yeah, Bologna is what we always called "Floor Sweepings" The fact that it's made of everything but the moo, really doesn't bother me though, never has. Yet another reason that round is the shape I'm in.
    Ted
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Great reminder thanks.
    I was pretty annoyed a few weeks ago when I bought "turkey steaks" in the meat section of the supermarket, then got home and read the label. They were 90% turkey and the rest were various salts as far as I could see. That will teach me!
    I've also discovered that the number of health claims on the front of the package usually increases as the amount of added ingredients and processing does.
  • forthefab5
    forthefab5 Posts: 187 Member
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    Agree! Nice post as always :)
  • Jena_72
    Jena_72 Posts: 1,057
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    I learned about "all beef bologna" many years ago. My job took me to a packing house, and I pretty much had free reign over the place. When I arrived at the station where this particular product was made, I saw what went into it. Yes, all cow; however, specifically: Nostrils, lips, ears, and eyelids.

    Just yummy!
    :indifferent: :frown: :sick: :cry:
  • Jonesie1984
    Jonesie1984 Posts: 612 Member
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    Nicely done taso. And for once everyone agrees..its a beautiful thing.
  • atomdraco
    atomdraco Posts: 1,083 Member
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    Ditto! Absolutely agree
  • cedgrenbawden
    cedgrenbawden Posts: 4 Member
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    I have become a label reading obsessive...You would not believe the crap they put in baby food!!! (Not that I eat it of course, but I still read the label when I buy for my littlun).

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