Nutrition Labels

According to Julieanna Hever, M.S., R.D, C.P.T., we should never read the nutrition label on a package.  She suggests that we ignore it entirely because everything listed there is confusing, misleading, and manipulating.

We are encouraged to focus on the ingredients.  The only section of a food label we should read is the list of ingredients.  That's where the truth comes out.  Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight (most to least).  So those ingredients with the majority of the weight in the product come first, and those with the least are listed last.

Here are some tips for analyzing food products based on their ingredient lists:

.Be sure you recognize everything on the list.

.Keep it whole.  Choose items with the fewest ingredients possible.  The label typically shouldn't list more than three or four items.  Less means more.

.Watch out for the sneaky ingredients.  These include all the antinutrients, artificial anything, and items you cannot pronounce.

Ultimately, most of our foods should come without ingredient lists.  Vegetables and fruits, whole-grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.  These whole foods are the staples of our diet.

 Plant -Based Nutrition  Julieanna Hever, M.S., R.D., C.P.T.