In a perfect world, we would walk down the aisle, casually pushing our shopping carts, nonchalantly and easily avoiding allergens, buying healthy foods, finding true non- GMO, understanding the quality of products (nutrition, origin, ethicality etc.). This however isn’t true. For anyone that suffers food allergies, dietary restrictions or simply wants to buy healthy food and know what they are eating, you know that food labels can be anything but helpful. Food Labels aren’t transparent, rather they are often deceiving and misleading.
Take this quiz and see if you’ve been tricked by food labels before.
ResultsCongrats, you’re too label-smart to be fooled! 
Author: Ali @ Sustainable PsycheMy name is Ali. I am an American living in Italy. I am passionate about delicious food that is also ethical, healthy and sustainable. I love pasta and pizza, traveling, horseback riding and exploring the vibrant city of Milan that I call home. Be sure you read your food labels before being tricked into buying “healthy” junk food!
Author: Ali @ Sustainable PsycheMy name is Ali. I am an American living in Italy. I am passionate about delicious food that is also ethical, healthy and sustainable. I love pasta and pizza, traveling, horseback riding and exploring the vibrant city of Milan that I call home. 
 #1. Low-fat options promote healthy weightThis is a common mistake people make. They opt for low-fat dressings, low-fat dairy etc. because there are less calories. However, when the fat content is eliminated, it has to be compensated with other ingredients to maintain taste and texture. Usually creating a longer list of processed and unhealthy ingredients.
Author: Ali @ Sustainable PsycheMy name is Ali. I am an American living in Italy. I am passionate about delicious food that is also ethical, healthy and sustainable. I love pasta and pizza, traveling, horseback riding and exploring the vibrant city of Milan that I call home.  #2. Things to look for: “All Natural” & “Made with Organic”Technically “all natural” should mean that things are true to nature, therefore unaltered and without processed ingredients. Unfortunately this term is used very loosely and doesn’t have very defined parameters. Foods labelled as all natural might still contain hormones, GMO’s or other ingredients that are anything but “all natural”. “Made with Organic” means that SOME but not all ingredients follow organic regulations. Check the label to see what ingredients are actually organic.
Author: Ali @ Sustainable PsycheMy name is Ali. I am an American living in Italy. I am passionate about delicious food that is also ethical, healthy and sustainable. I love pasta and pizza, traveling, horseback riding and exploring the vibrant city of Milan that I call home.  #3. HFCS, Maltodextrin, Fructose & Cornstarch all mean the same thingThese are just a few of the different names used to describe the same thing: Corn! This very versatile ingredient is everywhere in foods. Beware of how it can disguise itself on your food labels, as this mono-crop is mainly GMO and is highly processed.
Author: Ali @ Sustainable PsycheMy name is Ali. I am an American living in Italy. I am passionate about delicious food that is also ethical, healthy and sustainable. I love pasta and pizza, traveling, horseback riding and exploring the vibrant city of Milan that I call home.  #4. All calories are created equal.A Big Mac & medium fries: roughly 870 calories, 44 grams of fat (12 saturated), 90 grams carbohydrates, 29 grams of protein. This is one meal that is most likely going to leave you feeling hungry in a few hours. Alternatively, you could eat: one slice of whole-grain bread, 1 spoonful of peanut butter, 4 walnuts, 1/2 a cup of blueberries, 1 cup of yogurt, 1/2 a cup of melon, 1/4 cup pinto beans, 1/2 cup brown rice, a plate of steamed broccoli, 60 grams of tofu, a ton of leafy greens & mixed salad for the same amount of calories. This is a pretty decent amount of food and you could still add more food depending on your personal calorie range. Even though when you want to lose weight it is important to count the difference between the calories in (eating) and calories out (exercise), but WHERE these calories come from is also important.
Author: Ali @ Sustainable PsycheMy name is Ali. I am an American living in Italy. I am passionate about delicious food that is also ethical, healthy and sustainable. I love pasta and pizza, traveling, horseback riding and exploring the vibrant city of Milan that I call home.  #5. High fat content foods are junk food1 large (210 grams) avocado has 32 grams of fat. Healthy fats are essential and shouldn’t be grouped with junk food. Salmon, olives and walnuts contain high levels of healthy fats that we should include in our daily diets. 3 ounces of chips contain 30 grams of fat and they are 100% junk.
Author: Ali @ Sustainable PsycheMy name is Ali. I am an American living in Italy. I am passionate about delicious food that is also ethical, healthy and sustainable. I love pasta and pizza, traveling, horseback riding and exploring the vibrant city of Milan that I call home.  #6. It’s organic therefore it’s healthyOrganic is simply the method of production. Organic production is a better option for fruits, veggies and other fresh products, as such products contain less harmful pesticides and production methods are more sustainable. Don’t be fooled by organic Doritos or Organic Kraft Mac & Cheese. This is just a way to trick you into buying expensive “organic” junk food.
Author: Ali @ Sustainable PsycheMy name is Ali. I am an American living in Italy. I am passionate about delicious food that is also ethical, healthy and sustainable. I love pasta and pizza, traveling, horseback riding and exploring the vibrant city of Milan that I call home.  #7. Refried beans are vegetarianIt sounds contradictory but unless you are buying VEGETARIAN refried beans there is pork fat or lard added. Make sure you check the labels to see what else is sneaking into your food. Better yet, make your own refried beans at home and avoid the canned stuff.
Author: Ali @ Sustainable PsycheMy name is Ali. I am an American living in Italy. I am passionate about delicious food that is also ethical, healthy and sustainable. I love pasta and pizza, traveling, horseback riding and exploring the vibrant city of Milan that I call home.  #8. Free Range = Pasture RaisedPastured chickens live outside and are free to eat green grass, grubs, bugs, and whatever else they naturally find. Beak trimming and forced molting are prohibited. Free-range doesn’t necessarily mean raised on green pastures. Technically, hens have some access to the outdoors, however there are no standards on time spent outdoors or space within living quarters.
Author: Ali @ Sustainable PsycheMy name is Ali. I am an American living in Italy. I am passionate about delicious food that is also ethical, healthy and sustainable. I love pasta and pizza, traveling, horseback riding and exploring the vibrant city of Milan that I call home.  #9. ‘Superfood’ is a trendy marketing termGolden Milk, Acai, Goji, Avocado, Kale and the list goes on. These foods that are termed as ‘super’ become celebrities. Suddenly booming on the market, increasing in price, claiming to do wonders for health. Yes, these foods are healthy and are good to include in your diet but that doesn’t mean you need to eat a pound of kale a day.
Author: Ali @ Sustainable PsycheMy name is Ali. I am an American living in Italy. I am passionate about delicious food that is also ethical, healthy and sustainable. I love pasta and pizza, traveling, horseback riding and exploring the vibrant city of Milan that I call home.  #10. “No added sugar” is not the same as “unsweetened”‘No sugar added’ doesn’t mean that the product has no sugar, it might just be called something else on the label. Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols including aspartame, sucralose, maltodextrin etc. can sneak their way in. Unsweetened on the other hand signifies that no artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols are added and only naturally occurring sugars are present.
Author: Ali @ Sustainable PsycheMy name is Ali. I am an American living in Italy. I am passionate about delicious food that is also ethical, healthy and sustainable. I love pasta and pizza, traveling, horseback riding and exploring the vibrant city of Milan that I call home. |
Author: Ali @ Sustainable Psyche
My name is Ali. I am an American living in Italy. I am passionate about delicious food that is also ethical, healthy and sustainable. I love pasta and pizza, traveling, horseback riding and exploring the vibrant city of Milan that I call home.
