What’s in my food? The Ingredient List
Another piece of information that many overlook is the ingredients list. They’re listed by how much there is in the food, so the first few ingredients make up most of it. Can you guess what this product is? Oat bran, rice, sugar, wheat flakes cereal. It’s a popular commercial brand.
Did one thing strike you? Sugar, yes. Comes in 3rd position, which means that you’ve got more sugar than wheat flakes in that box. It’s common practice among commercial brands: lots of added sugar.
Another trick companies use for sugar is that they break it into different types of sugars. All these are sugars: sugar, fructose, glucose, glucose-fructose, high fructose corn syrup, and corn syrup. So, let’s say some breakfast cereals have more total sugar than oats, you might see: “Oat, sugar, glucose-fructose, and who knows how many other sugars”. By breaking the sugar into two different ingredients, they can put oat first. But since sugar and glucose-fructose are in 2nd and 3rd position, if you added them, sugar would probably come first. Also, as a general rule, you want to avoid long lists of ingredients. My favorite orange juice has this for ingredients: 100% pure orange juice. That’s it.
ACTION STEP
Take out your two favorite foods again. Go over the ingredients. Do you spot more than one kind of sugar? See if they contain added sugar, fructose, glucose, glucose-fructose, high fructose corn syrup, or corn syrup. Ask yourself: does (that much) sugar belong in that food?
ACTION STEP REVISITED
Take a look at every item you usually eat that’s available right now. Find out if they contain added sugar, fructose, glucose, glucose-fructose, high fructose corn syrup, or corn syrup. Take 5 foods with the most added sugar and seek alternatives that are added-sugar free next time you shop. Some of them advertise “no added sugar” on the box, others don’t. Anyway, the only way to know is by reading the ingredients list carefully.
The Basics: Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates (often called “carbs”) is just another word for “sugar”. Foods can contain simple sugar molecules or long chains of simple sugar molecules connected together. Carbohydrates are broken down into 3 kinds:
1. Simple sugars
2. Complex (long chain) carbohydrates (also called starch)
3. Dietary fiber
Simple sugars are standalone sugar molecules. They’re found in:
Milk, Fruits, Sugar, Honey, Fruit juices and soft drinks, Pastries and cakes
Starch is found in:
Plants, Grains (wheat, millet, barley, rice, oats and rye) Potatoes, and Beans
Fibers are found in plants and whole grains. They’re impossible to digest, but are actually good for you. Their benefits include:
Prevention and treatment of constipation Decreased blood cholesterol levels Decreased appetite and energy (food) intake
Carbohydrates are the preferred energy source of brain and nerve cells, red blood cells, and muscles. They make up 55% to 60% of the typical American diet. Complex carbohydrates are recommended over simple carbohydrates: they’re healthier and provide energy for longer periods of time, so you’re less likely to overeat.
Here’s a trick to help you identify them: simple sugars taste sugary, while the links between the molecules of longer chains prevent your taste buds from savoring them: they’re not that sweet. Each gram of carbohydrates provides 4 calories.
ACTION STEP
Go to the kitchen and find: 2 foods made of simple sugars, 2 made of starch, and 2 that contain lots of fiber. Now sample honey or table sugar, and keep it in your mouth for a bit. Notice how sweet it is. Repeat with cereals or another source of starch: note the taste; it shouldn’t be as sweet.
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categories: Nutrition,Health,Dieting,Food