Label Reading 101

Label Reading 101

Label Reading 101 should be a required course for anyone considering buying packaged food.

The amounts of sugars, salt and chemicals are enough to make anyone sick. As a matter of fact, they do. Packaged food often equals processed food. Many sophisticated consumers know that processed food also equals unhealthy food.

An article in TakePart.com cautions consumers about reading labels no matter what promises and temptations the front of a packaged food offers. This article includes ingredients photos of about a half dozen typical foods.
Label Reading 101 and a magnifying glass are both required here.

It is both shocking and unnecessary to add most of the ingredients. In fact, a study was done on two types of macaroni and cheese dinners. One is sold in the US; the other in the UK. They had the same ingredients and even tasted the same. The exception was that the US version also had food coloring. Two moms in the US protested the addition of this needless and not nutritious chemical. They actually petitioned Kraft to remove the dye. Read about it here.

Food additives are big business in the US. Packaged and processed foods are the mainstay of many diets. It is easy to see why we have a nation of so many sick people.

A major food issue currently has to do with GMO foods. GMO stands for genetically modified food. US companies are not required to label food as such. The consequences have been fascinating. Other countries refuse to buy food stuffs from us. An app is now available that lets you know if a product you want to buy is genetically modified. You can read more about that in this article.

Good luck food shopping. Don’t forget the lessons from Label Reading 101. Especially make sure to read the fine print on the ingredients part of the label.

Enjoy this and other stories, at right, on Alison*s Art Online Magazines, features of Alison*s Blog.

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