If you are aiming to stay healthy, then it is best to enure the quality of food products you buy and eat. After all, your health and wellness depends not only on the amount of food you eat, but most importantly on the nutritional content and absence of chemicals. Your body depends largely on excellent nutrition, and this is the reason why you should make sure that everything you consume will benefit the different cells, tissues and organs in your body. So, to achieve maximum health benefits, it helps to read and analyze food labels that can spare you from being misled each time you purchase items at the grocery store.
Pay Attention to Food Labels
When it comes to food labels, you need to pay closer attention to the list of ingredients, since this part is the very core of grocery food items. Keep in mind that the ingredients are presented according to the weight and amount present in the food. As you go through the ingredients list, be sure to look for contents including hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oil, since these components mean there are trans fats included. Moreover, you can easily spot these ingredients on food products, and you just need to read thoroughly so as not to miss out on components that you are not supposed to be consuming, in the first place. Other things you should avoid in your food include added sugars, whole grains and wheat flour. Then, be sure to begin reading from the top to bottom of the label, so you can have a more comprehensive idea of what is in every package of food you buy.
Check the Calories and Nutrients Included
Aside from determining the ingredients in every food you eat, you should also check the label for the calories in every package. Calories from the different nutrients and from fat are important considerations when you read food labels. If you are aiming to lose weight or maintain your current weight, then you should pay close attention to the caloric content of food. Furthermore, the amount of calories you get from fat is also important, specifically the type of fat in the food. You will notice that there are different types of fat included such as trans, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated. The amount is usually rounded to its nearest whole number, and it is always a practical choice to limit the saturated fat to less than 5 percent. Transfat, on the other hand, should be avoided completely since it does not do you any good at all.
Get Rid of the Bad Stuff
There are several other components in every food that are not necessary at all such as the high sugar content, particularly added sugars. High fructose corn syrup does not do any positive thing to your body, and you are certainly better off without it. Be sure to steer clear of this ingredient and go for natural sugars, which you can find in fruits. Overall, just go for more natural ingredients, avoid preservatives and food coloring, and you are well on your way to excellent health.
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