Newbie baffled by food labels

Options
20LEgend20
20LEgend20 Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,
Dieting for the first time, not because I didn't need to but because I couldn't be bothered lol. I've got an exercise app I've started to follow as well as joining here. Only day two but when I scan my food it shows the nice long list but wth do the numbers mean? I think this is what has put me off in the past. Things like Potassium or four different names for fat. What do the numbers mean and which should I take notice of?
«1

Replies

  • viraurelianus
    viraurelianus Posts: 13
    Options
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXwLUA_ucCk
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
    Options
    Count calories, stay in a deficit, you will lose weight.
  • 20LEgend20
    20LEgend20 Posts: 5
    Options
    Yes but surely there's more to it than that. Half a dozen donuts could give me lots of calories but even I know there are good and bad ones.
  • JenniDaisy
    JenniDaisy Posts: 526 Member
    Options
    A calorie is a calorie. There is no distinction between good and bad.
  • besaro
    besaro Posts: 1,858 Member
    Options
    is the guy taking a piss? it sounds like it. weird video location choice for "reading labels."
  • GarRo247
    GarRo247 Posts: 2
    Options
    20LEgend20 wrote: »
    even I know there are good and bad ones.

    That is not true at all. A calorie is a calorie there is nothing more to it than that.
  • kittenful
    kittenful Posts: 318 Member
    Options
    JenniDaisy wrote: »
    A calorie is a calorie. There is no distinction between good and bad.
    This. Seriously. All food, in moderation.

    There is a difference in how many calories are in different foods, not whether they are labeled "good" or "bad". Start small. Small, consistent changes become habit, after a while. Focus on one thing at a time (starting with the number of calories), then move on when you feel comfortable doing so. It can be intimidating to learn everything all at once.

    Starting out small gave me a better idea of what I could do to tweak my diet/nutrition a bit at a time.
  • nicoleagafitness
    nicoleagafitness Posts: 100 Member
    Options
    Ok, this is what I recommend. Google :) make a list of all of the nutrients you don't understand and Google each individual one.

    People here focus a LOT on strictly calories only. If you're doing this for health, please educate yourself on the differences in fats. Sodium levels, sugar levels, all of it. Also, try eating a lot of nutrient dense foods (the stuff without the labels)
  • Swiftlet66
    Swiftlet66 Posts: 729 Member
    Options
    20LEgend20 wrote: »
    Yes but surely there's more to it than that. Half a dozen donuts could give me lots of calories but even I know there are good and bad ones.

    "A calorie is a calorie." To lose weight, most would agree to look at only calories. Everything else is for your overall health in the long run. But I think what you were asking about are good and bad fats... Generally, avoid man-made trans fats which is the "killer." It is mostly in processed foods: things like store packaged cookies, cakes, donuts, margarine, etc. And be aware that even if a package says 0g trans fat, it still might possibly contain it though since government FDA (if you live in US), allow 0.5g to be rounded to 0g so it's not completely trans fat free. Eating too many adds up over time. That and they usually say limit saturated (mostly in animal products and dairy) and eat more unsaturated fats (nuts, olive/sesame oil, avocados, fatty fish). If the numbers scare you, try looking only at carbs, fats, and protein, along with fiber intake for now! Don't worry, you learn more as you go along... :)
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
    Options
    Yeah I agree about Google.

    A lot of us do try to get adequate amounts of protein so that's something you could keep an eye out for to find options high in protein. You could also search this site to find some of those suggestions

    Pay attention to total servings in a container, not just cals per serving. Ever got a candy bar or bag of nuts that really was about 3-5 servings, lol. I know a friend didn't realize the popcorn he was buying was three servings in a bag and he was eating it as a low calorie option

    Yeah you hear a lot about good foods and bad foods, but once you decide how much of each macro (carbs, protein, fats) you want to eat, you can pretty much eat any foods you want. For me I mostly try to get enough protein and don't really watch anything else closely - even the protein really. I just feel higher is better for me lol

    For me I've actually settled recently on a nice sugary muffin breakfast with coffee because it's satisfying to me and I'm actually less tempted to consume calorie bombs later on in the day because of this

    Sodium is another item you may want to watch. You don't have to keep it super super low if you don't have health related sensitivities to it, but if every single item you eat is in the 1000mg range for sodium you may want to mix things up a bit. It tends to be a flavor enhancer or preservative in a lot of fast foods and prepared/boxed meals

    Uh that's all I got for now :)
  • TitikiOoh
    TitikiOoh Posts: 40 Member
    Options
    20LEgend20 wrote: »
    Hi everyone,
    Dieting for the first time, not because I didn't need to but because I couldn't be bothered lol. I've got an exercise app I've started to follow as well as joining here. Only day two but when I scan my food it shows the nice long list but wth do the numbers mean? I think this is what has put me off in the past. Things like Potassium or four different names for fat. What do the numbers mean and which should I take notice of?

    If you focus on calories and let those calories come from veggies and fruit, fresh or frozen, whole grains and better quality meat then the nutrition will sort itself out.

    If you want tips for nutrition check here:
    http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20660118,00.html

    For processed foods, this site have some great pointers. I don't agree with everything they say, there is no reason for there to be transfats in your diet at all.

    http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HeartSmartShopping/Understanding-Food-Nutrition-Labels_UCM_300132_Article.jsp


  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    Options
    For weight loss, only the calories matter.

    For overall health, those labels are very important. If you want to eat healthy food and have no idea how to do that, start here: http://www.fitness.gov/eat-healthy/how-to-eat-healthy/

    How to read the labels: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm274593.htm

    Healthy food makes a healthy you! Good luck! :)

  • michaelachallis
    michaelachallis Posts: 137 Member
    Options
    How i started:
    Look at the label, if you don't recognize the majority of the ingredients, put it back.

  • QuilterInVA
    QuilterInVA Posts: 672 Member
    Options
    JenniDaisy wrote: »
    A calorie is a calorie. There is no distinction between good and bad.

    Unfortunately, science has proven that is false. If you eat your calories in junk food, you will gain weight. Eat the same calories in nutritious meat, dairy, fruits and vegg and you will lose. Do research before making absurd statements.
  • JenniDaisy
    JenniDaisy Posts: 526 Member
    Options
    QuilterInVA wrote: »
    JenniDaisy wrote: »
    A calorie is a calorie. There is no distinction between good and bad.

    Unfortunately, science has proven that is false. If you eat your calories in junk food, you will gain weight. Eat the same calories in nutritious meat, dairy, fruits and vegg and you will lose. Do research before making absurd statements.

    A calorie is a unit of measure, are there good inches and bad inches?
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
    Options
    JenniDaisy wrote: »
    QuilterInVA wrote: »
    JenniDaisy wrote: »
    A calorie is a calorie. There is no distinction between good and bad.

    Unfortunately, science has proven that is false. If you eat your calories in junk food, you will gain weight. Eat the same calories in nutritious meat, dairy, fruits and vegg and you will lose. Do research before making absurd statements.

    A calorie is a unit of measure, are there good inches and bad inches?


    Umm.... :bigsmile:
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Options
    JenniDaisy wrote: »
    A calorie is a unit of measure, are there good inches and bad inches?

    No, but the effect on the human body of a calorie from cream and a calorie from sugar are not the same.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    Options
    QuilterInVA wrote: »
    Unfortunately, science has proven that is false. If you eat your calories in junk food, you will gain weight. Do research before making absurd statements.

    But that's just wrong. If the only concern is weight loss, it's entirely about Calories in < Calories out. If the concern is health (and it should be) there's distinctions to be made among healthier and unhealthier foods.
  • MagicalGiraffe
    MagicalGiraffe Posts: 102 Member
    Options
    QuilterInVA wrote: »
    JenniDaisy wrote: »
    A calorie is a calorie. There is no distinction between good and bad.

    Unfortunately, science has proven that is false. If you eat your calories in junk food, you will gain weight. Eat the same calories in nutritious meat, dairy, fruits and vegg and you will lose. Do research before making absurd statements.

    Probably because junk food has much higher sodium content, leading people to retain water and mask weightloss. Also could you link the journal articles you got your information from? Ones which have been cited a notable amount of times though would be preferable.
  • MscGray
    MscGray Posts: 304 Member
    Options
    oh boy....this will get interesting I'm sure....OP a calorie is a calorie, no matter what the cal came from. You CAN eat a donut and earn 300 or so cals and still be hungry or you could have several cups for veggies and come in under 300 and probably be pretty satisfied. As long as you eat at a deficit you will see results, it will take time and dedication, but it will work! Give yourself time, read around in the forums and do research yourself and you will get better at interpreting labels and or target your macros better. Good Luck!!!

Categories