Do you look at calories or Ingredients??

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Replies

  • dpwellman
    dpwellman Posts: 3,271 Member
    I do the opposite.
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
    edited March 2017
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    Happyhealthy08 wrote: »
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    I don't think I've ever run across a food that has questionable ingredients, so not quite sure what you mean there? When I look at nutrition labels I compare calories to grams, meaning how many calories a serving is.

    I did type "rubbish" firstly but ingredients such as aspartame and in general ingredients you cannot recognise :)

    But there's nothing wrong with aspartame and I do know what it is.

    Someone on my Facebook feed once posted a macro to the effect of "If you don't buy things because you don't recognize the ingredients, you need to learn the names of more ingredients."

    Personally I don't buy "thin bread" or Lean Cuisine tv dinners or fat-free cookies because they look disgusting and I'm a picky eater. I'm not eating food-flavored product just because it's devoid of calories.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    I concentrate on calories and then macros. But I also largely focus on whole foods.. but is definitely 4 different types of jelly beans, Cadbury eggs, ice cream, toaster strudel and 2-3 diet mt. dews in my diet daily.

    I have lost 50lbs + at this point, gotten down to about 15% body fat, and improved every single metabolic marker possible.
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    I don't believe artificial sweeteners are "questionable". I want thin-sliced bread, or half of a fat slice. Lean Cuisine makes some delicious and healthy meals. Seems kind of logical to me.
  • nickiphillips1
    nickiphillips1 Posts: 114 Member
    Since I rarely buy pre-processed foods, I would look at ingredients. I normally eat vegetables, fruit and fish or low-fat meat. I had some pre-packaged potatoes last night, but they have potatoes in them.
    I don't buy food that I can't read or understand what an ingredient is. If it isn't natural, I am not going to eat it.

    Low fat and non-fat food has other stuff you don't need. Substitute sugar is really bad for you.

    To each, his or her own though.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    I mostly eat whole foods that don't have labels, but I read the full label and ingredients when buying packaged foods. I buy some low cal, fat free or 'diet' foods and some not.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    The first thing I base my meal around is protein, then vegetables. I don't have too many ingredients to consider. I eat some lower calorie things like laughing cow cheese and halo top, but the ingredients don't bother me as at least 80% of my diet comes from whole foods.
  • amandaeve
    amandaeve Posts: 723 Member
    I read all ingredients and serving sizes. Always have, for health but I also just find it interesting. I try to avoid modified sugars in my packaged food, although most of what I eat I make from scratch. I also haven't found an artificial sweeter I can tolerate the taste of, so I will pick a Pepsi throwback over a Diet drink. Not to say that Pepsi is remotely healthy for me. So, I do read everything and make it a point to understand what I am consuming, but I also still make plenty of "unhealthy" choices. I try not to stress about it, and at times I find the joy of eating "unhealthy" food totally worth it.
  • CasperNaegle
    CasperNaegle Posts: 936 Member
    Only look at Macros and how they will fit in my daily numbers. Macros obviously add up to your calories, but there you have it.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    I first look at calories, but then I look at carbs and sugar content. Lastly, I have to double check everything for artificial sweeteners, as I'm severely intolerant of them and prefer not to have a surprise migraine.
  • jbee27
    jbee27 Posts: 356 Member
    Anything new, I generally take a pretty good look at the nutrition label as a whole. Whether or not I get it depends on what it is, and then the calories, macros, ingredients. For example, yogurts that have sweeteners, I tend to stay away from, because I know i'm not going to like the aftertaste.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited March 2017
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    Happyhealthy08 wrote: »
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    I don't think I've ever run across a food that has questionable ingredients, so not quite sure what you mean there? When I look at nutrition labels I compare calories to grams, meaning how many calories a serving is.

    I did type "rubbish" firstly but ingredients such as aspartame and in general ingredients you cannot recognise :)

    But there's nothing wrong with aspartame and I do know what it is.

    Someone on my Facebook feed once posted a macro to the effect of "If you don't buy things because you don't recognize the ingredients, you need to learn the names of more ingredients."

    Personally I don't buy "thin bread" or Lean Cuisine tv dinners or fat-free cookies because they look disgusting and I'm a picky eater. I'm not eating food-flavored product just because it's devoid of calories.

    To each their own-I like LCs and thin breads (which is literally bread that's just cut into thin slices), etc. I don't eat 'food-flavored products', I eat the foods that I like and also help me reach my goals :)
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    nickiphillips1 wrote: »
    Since I rarely buy pre-processed foods, I would look at ingredients. I normally eat vegetables, fruit and fish or low-fat meat. I had some pre-packaged potatoes last night, but they have potatoes in them.
    I don't buy food that I can't read or understand what an ingredient is. If it isn't natural, I am not going to eat it.

    Low fat and non-fat food has other stuff you don't need. Substitute sugar is really bad for you.

    To each, his or her own though.

    Citation please.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I don't buy special diet food. I primarily use whole foods and minimally processed foods. I don't eat much of what I would consider heavily processed foods...on the occasion that I do, I'm not particularly worried about it.
  • fbchick51
    fbchick51 Posts: 240 Member
    Both, and then some. I'm in this more for health benefits rather then weightloss, so what I put in my body is just as important as how much I shovel in.
  • ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken
    ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken Posts: 1,530 Member
    edited March 2017
    I look at ingredients first. If I don't like what is in it I don't eat it or serve it to my family.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,647 Member
    I compare nutrition labels and buy what fits best with my goals. If I don't like it, then next time I buy whatever came in 2nd place. Since I have no food intolerances or allergies, I have no reason to ban any ingredients.
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
    amyepdx wrote: »
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    Happyhealthy08 wrote: »
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    I don't think I've ever run across a food that has questionable ingredients, so not quite sure what you mean there? When I look at nutrition labels I compare calories to grams, meaning how many calories a serving is.

    I did type "rubbish" firstly but ingredients such as aspartame and in general ingredients you cannot recognise :)

    But there's nothing wrong with aspartame and I do know what it is.

    Someone on my Facebook feed once posted a macro to the effect of "If you don't buy things because you don't recognize the ingredients, you need to learn the names of more ingredients."

    Personally I don't buy "thin bread" or Lean Cuisine tv dinners or fat-free cookies because they look disgusting and I'm a picky eater. I'm not eating food-flavored product just because it's devoid of calories.

    Thin bread = bread that is sliced thinner to be fewer cals per slice. What is wrong with that?

    In the post you quote I said I'm a picky eater, remember? I don't want to eat bread that looks like it's going to fall apart the minute I try to put something on it. If I'm going to eat sliced bread, which I usually don't, I don't want it to fall apart when I pick it up off the plate.

    It may be that thin bread doesn't fall apart and get condiments everywhere; I don't know and I don't care. It's enough for me that it looks like it's going to.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    I base my diet on foods I want to eat; foods that are delicious and satiating. That eliminates ultra processed foods for me so ingredients aren't an issue. Which leaves calories and those I regulate with good food habits.

    Choosing food for reasons other than taste and satiety has never been sustainable for me.
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