8.7: Nutrition Facts Label

Ingredient list

The last item on the food label is the ingredient list. Looking at the ingredients is a helpful tool for understanding what is in the food you are eating. It is important to know that the ingredients are listed in descending order, so the first items on the ingredient list are the ones in the highest amount in the food. For example, if you see sugar listed as one of the first items it likely means that it is a high sugar food. If you are looking to consume more whole grains, look for whole grain, whole wheat, whole oat, etc as one of the first ingredients. If the first ingredients include refined grains, a type of sugar, or hydrogenated oils, you can assume that the product is unhealthy. Become familiar with the different names or terms used for common ingredients. For example, you will know an item has sugar if you see any of the following terms:

• Types of sugar: beet sugar, brown sugar, buttered sugar, cane sugar, caster sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar, golden sugar, invert sugar, muscovado sugar, organic raw sugar, raspadura sugar, evaporated cane juice, and confectioner’s sugar.
• Types of syrup: carob syrup, golden syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, agave nectar, malt syrup, maple syrup, oat syrup, rice bran syrup, and rice syrup.
• Other added sugars: barley malt, molasses, cane juice crystals, lactose, corn sweetener, crystalline fructose, dextran, malt powder, ethyl maltol, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, galactose, glucose, disaccharides, maltodextrin, and maltose.

Your Food Label: Ingredient List

Evaluate the ingredient list on your food label. What are the first five ingredients listed? Knowing that the ingredients are listed in order from most to least, what do the ingredients tell you about the food item? Are there ingredients listed that you are not familiar with? If so, take a few minutes to look up the ingredient to identify what it is.

Water

Water is not on the food label, but it is essential for your health. During 2015–2018, US children and adolescents drank an average of 23 ounces of plain water daily, and US adults drank an average of 44 ounces. Although there is no recommendation for how much plain water everyone should drink daily, there are recommendations for how much daily total water intake should come from a variety of beverages and foods. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations for total water intake from all foods and liquids are 3.7 liters for men, that equates to 125 ounces or approximately 13 cups, and 2.7 liters for women, which equates to 91 ounces or 9 cups.

Water is your body’s principal chemical component and makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells, and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues. Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don’t have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water. It is important to drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration and aid in the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients.

Antioxidants

Another element to consider that is not directly noted on your food label is your intake of antioxidants^[3]. Antioxidants are substances we consume that may help to reduce cell damage. Antioxidants may come from the foods we eat or from dietary supplements. Examples of antioxidants include vitamins C and E, selenium, and carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Vegetables and fruits are rich sources of antioxidants.

Antioxidants may help to reduce cell damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are highly unstable molecules that are naturally formed when you exercise and when your body converts food into energy. Your body can also be exposed to free radicals from a variety of environmental sources, such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, and sunlight. Free radicals have been shown to cause “oxidative stress” in the body thus damaging healthy cells. Although not conclusive, research shows that antioxidants work to reduce the chances of cellular damage. Because antioxidants help to reduce cell damage, it has been theorized that they in turn help to reduce chances of many diseases, including cancer.

Organic and GMO (bioengineered)

Along with reviewing the food label on packages, you might also see statements such as “organic” or “Non-GMO” It is helpful to understand what these statements mean.

Organic Labeling^[4]

Organic products must be produced using agricultural production practices that foster resource cycling, promote ecological balance, maintain and improve soil and water quality, minimize the use of synthetic materials, and conserve biodiversity.

There are four organic labels:

“100 Percent Organic”

• Used to label any product that contains 100 percent organic ingredients (excluding salt and water, which are considered natural)
• Most raw, unprocessed or minimally processed farm crops can be labeled “100 percent organic”

“Organic”

• Any product that contains a minimum of 95 percent organic ingredients (excluding salt and water)
• Up to 5 percent of ingredients may be nonorganic agricultural products and/or nonagricultural products on the National List (nonorganic agricultural products and several nonagricultural products on the National List may only be used if they are not commercially available as organic)

“Made with Organic ______”

• Product contains at least 70 percent organically produced ingredients (excluding salt and water), with a number of detailed constraints regarding ingredients that comprise the nonorganic portion

Specific Organic Ingredient Listings

• Specific organic ingredients may be listed in the ingredient statement of products containing less than 70 percent organic contents—for example, “Ingredients: water, barley, beans, organic tomatoes, salt.”

Genetically Modified Foods (bioenginered)

The terms “bioengineering,” “genetically modified organism,” “GMO,” and “genetic engineering,” are often used interchangeably for marketing purposes, but “bioengineered” is the appropriate term under the law. The National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law, passed by Congress in July of 2016, directed USDA to establish a national mandatory standard for disclosing foods that are or may be bioengineered. The Standard defines bioengineered foods as those that contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through certain lab techniques and cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature.

Curious what types of food are genetically modified or bioengineered? Check out this List of bioengineered Foods