Every day we discover the truth behind many food labels claming “low fat,” ”high fiber,” “low sodium,” and other problems. Food manufactures are commercially driven to declare these as benefits, but there is no legal definition or real nutritional basis for that. Don’t forget about the claim “light” which also doesn’t have any legally binding definition.

These “benefits” don’t give you nutritional value. However, these claims are used by food producers so smartly with an intention to cash in on people who are concerned about no-fat, low sugar, high fiber products to be included in their diet.

Do you think it happens only in the U.S.? Think again, this commercially driven campaign is going on and on the world over. Imagine, you pursue a clean diet, rich with pure, organic foods. Simple logic will tell you that the naturally occuring substances occuring in these foods don’t need to be enhanced, removed or replaced by any other ingredients. There is plenty of fiber anyway in pure foods as they come from Mother Nature. Bad fats, excess salt and simple sugars don’t need to be removed or added.

 Now about genetically modified (GM) term listed on some food labels. If you spot the word “modified” on a label, don’ t buy this product. Genetically modified food is a new craze of a brand new science. It can take decades to prove the negative effects of food modification on the human body. It’s scary that GM-containing foods are not always labeled as GM.

Do you know that many animals eat GM animal feed. We buy their meat, and have no idea about it because this fresh looking product doesn’t carry a GM label. If you cannot live without meat and poultry, do yourself a big favor by making a smart choice.

 Go organic!

If you eat pure, certified organic foods, you have no reason to diet, because your diet is in perfect balance according to the laws of nature. It means that your weight is in perfect balance, too. 

Stop this crazy “gain-loose weight ” dieting-suffering-and-hoping for the best game. Start eating pure, organic, whole grain foods, fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables. Buy them on the farmer’s markets where it’s available. Now every state has its farmers markets, so visit them in weekends if you don’t have time during your working week. It’s a pure fun and pleasure!

 FACT: Over the course of a normal day, the average American consumes more than 180 chemical additives as a result of eating processed food, or unwashed fruit and vegetables — that’s more than 65,000 separate doses of chemical in a year!?

In recent years the exact health benefits of a low-fat diet have been debated. A 2006 study published by Journal of the American Medical Association argued that low-fat diet did not reduce the incidence of breast cancer. A 2002 Cochrane Review before found low-fat diets to be no more effective than other weight loss diets in achieving lasting weight loss.

FACT: A low-fat diet is a diet that consists of little fat, especially saturated fat and cholesterol. You need dietary fat for good health, as fats supply essential fatty acids, in addition to supplying fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K.

The nutrition panel on the label of most foods and drinks can provide useful information about thir nutrition content. Amounts are given per 100 g of food and per serving of the product, so you know how much energy, protein, fat, fiver, sodium and sugar you’ll be getting. Understanding every detail in the food label will help you to make your right, healthy choice easily. Our next post about what each ingredient in nutrition panel mean and how it benefit you.

Source: USDA, Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, July 2007; S. Pirizzo, C. Summerbell, C. Cameron, P. Glazion, Advice on low-fat diets for obesity, Cochrane Database of Systematic Review, 2002, Issue 2; Clean Up Your Diet by Max Tomsinson, Duncan Baird Publishers, 2007