How I decipher food packaging and labels
About once a week, I get to go to my happy place – the grocery store.
I know… many people dread the task. But if I have time, I spend way too long browsing the aisles.
I love perusing the latest creative designs and packaging and discovering which brands just did a whole revamp on their product line. (As a graphic designer it’s hard not to notice those things.)
Plus, as a lover of food and wellness, I’m always fascinated by the ingredients to see how they make the tasty magic come alive.
But not all products are created equal – sometimes the ingredients are downright scary. (Is there even any food in there?)
And sometimes the nutrition isn’t up to par when it comes to supporting my health and wellbeing.
Here’s a list of the top five things I keep in mind when strolling the aisles of the grocery store.
1 | Don’t buy into the marketing hype
As a graphic designer who’s witnessed a lot of marketing tactics, I feel confident in saying this – packaging is designed to be catchy and enticing, but it can also be deceptive.
As much as I enjoy ogling the pretty packaging, I try not to be fooled by the creative trickery.
Just because it says “gluten free!” does not instantly signify healthy. Even if the words are in a giant, eye-catching, colorful font in the most prominent position on the box.
My first step? Bypass the graphics and bold lingo and head straight for the ingredient panel to see the facts for myself.
Here are a few things I look for when checking the ingredients list:
“Natural flavors” – These are usually far from natural.
Unpronounceable ingredients – Imagine if your Grandma (assuming she cooks from scratch) found out you were adding Red 40 (made from petroleum) and Azodicarbonamide (coined “the yoga mat chemical”) into your food.
A lengthy paragraph – How many ingredients are listed? Is it an endless list of items from a science lab or just a few recognizable whole foods? (For example, when purchasing something like almond milk, I try to look for ingredients that are something like “filtered water, almonds, salt.” If the list includes a long list of additives, stabilizers, gums and other not-real-food items I stay away.)
If you want to go deeper into decoding food ingredients, here’s a thorough list of what to avoid in processed food.
2 | Size up the sugar content
When it comes to the nutrition panel, I’m always curious to see how many grams of the more-addictive-than-cocaine substance are hiding in there.
Why? Because sugar is my biggest offender against my health and wellbeing.
Sugar increases inflammation, fuels disease, slows our metabolism and prevents us from burning fat and literally messes with our head.
Thankfully, over many years of eating less and less sugar, I actually crave less sweet foods. But it definitely takes time to alter your palate
(While I still love an occasional old-school brownie sundae – because, balance – I’m actually now a huge fan of 80% to even 100% dark chocolate and prefer ones that use coconut sugar to processed white sugar.)
Some sneaky names for sugar:
Barley malt syrup
Caramel color
Glucose
Rice syrup
Maltodextrin
Curious to see more of the 60+ names used as disguises for sugar? Check out this list.
3 | Question the salty sources
If I’m buying something packaged, I try to find items with minimal to zero salt because I personally like to salt my own food.
That way, I can be mindful of my sodium intake and focus on more nutrient dense salts – like a quality himalayan pink sea salt that’s loaded with minerals.
Did you know that even healthy frozen vegetables can be a hidden source of sodium? (Why is there such a thing as salted frozen spinach?!)
I always check the ingredients (even on frozen veggies) to make sure there’s just one ingredient — the vegetable.
Of course if it’s soy sauce or tamari, the sodium can be off the charts, so I look for lower-sodium versions, or even soy-free coconut aminos (which also usually has less sodium).
4 | Look for the good fats
Back in my disordered eating days I was like a hound dog sniffing out “evil” calories and fats in foods.
But here’s the truth – not all calories and fat are created equal.
If you check out the back of a coconut oil jar it’s loaded with fat and calories.
But if it’s organic, cold-pressed, unrefined, virgin coconut oil, it’s actually packed full of the good fats – the stuff that gives you energy, supports cell function and helps to extract nutrients from things like vegetables.
The amount of fats I consume these days would shock my 20-something self – but I feel better than ever.
However, I still peek at the fats and calories to cross-reference them with the ingredients list so I can understand where those grams are coming from.
Are they derived from healthy fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) or unhealthy saturated and trans fats?
It’s also wise to stay away from any “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils – even if the label lists “0” for the trans fats.
Want to know more about the various kinds of fats? Mark Hyman has a great pdf resource on dissecting food labels that includes more information on the good fats.
5 | Read every label
And I mean EVERY label.
I’ve found scary anti-caking ingredients, “natural flavors” and preservatives where you would least expect to find them – like in spices and seasoning packets.
And don’t get me started on condiments. The amount of sugar in most ketchups makes me flee like I’m being chased by bees. (I’m a huge fan of this unsweetened ketchup. I could eat it by the spoonful because, get this, it tastes like real tomatoes!)
I also like to have a stare down with any labels on beverages I buy. Even coconut water brands and electrolyte or “healthy” drinks love to add unnecessary sugar.
Personal priorities
Depending on where you’re at in your wellness journey your priorities may be different from mine. We all have to define our own standards based on our personal health goals.
These days, I like to focus on whole foods that live on the exterior aisles of the grocery store.
But when I do buy something with a label, I just try to be mindful – keep an eye out for misleading designs and messaging that make something appear healthy, look for hidden sugars and salts, and pay attention to the fat sources.
I think renowned author Michael Pollan said it best:
“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
How about you? What do you look for when reading ingredients and nutrition labels? Any red flags on your end?