Plans for a new food labeling system to help combat obesity have hit a brick wall recently as Cadburys and Coca Cola rejected the new traffic light system. The plan was to make everything uniform so people understood more what they were buying. However there is still a huge flaw in this plan as I think this does not go far enough and avoids the whole issue of what the actual ingredients are in the food. For example: I think its very important to know how much salt and sugar is in the produce we buy, but I think it’s far more important to break it down and see exactly what is being added. At the moment there are several ways of labeling food – the most recognised- the good for you wheel, more red equals bad, more green equals good. Simple one would think, but if you look at the picture below you can see that you have to pause a moment in your rushed weekly shop to calculate that you need to double the figures to get the right amount for this particular product.
If we take the magical under one hundred calorie bar purchased in their millions for a quick, “non fattening” snack – we assume that because it is low in fat and low in calories it is good for us. Far from it, these so called healthy snacks are packed full of sugar, often in the form of added fructose or glucose syrup. This is not going to fill you up, and may lead to blood sugar imbalances. When you are buying food it is crucial that you look at the back of the packaging to see the list of ingredients. You might be less confused with list of ingredients than traffic light wheels and endless confusing labeling, that only someone with an “ology” or some kind of scientific training would understand. So unless you want to walk round your local supermarket with a calculator and the recommended daily allowances try a different way of shopping. I have to say the rebel in me as well does not take kindly to being told by someone else what is good for me to eat. I will make my own informed choices by always reading the ingredients.
Let me give you a great example of what I mean:
Take two popular packets of crisps.
One brand contains: Potatoes, sunflower oil, salt.
The other has: Potato starch, sunflower oil (30%), cheese flavour, whey powder (from milk), flavour enhancers (monosodium glutamate, disodium 5’ -ribonucleotide), flavouring, milk powder, cheese powder, butter acids, soya protein, colour (paprika extract)], rice flour, soya flour, salt, yeast, onion powder (malt flour from barley), pepper, wheat flour, colour (annatto).
If the second list of ingredients had low fat or low calorie on the front of the packaging, would you be tempted to buy it based on those facts alone when actually the first bag is far healthier? These are crisps so we know crisps are high in fat, but do we need the added ingredients as well? Part of my nutrition workshop course (for more information please go to www.thecookshelf.co.uk) is food labeling. Last week we had a few plastic bags full of people’s food labels and after a while everyone got the hang of how to read a food label properly and were pretty horrified at some of the misleading jargon. It’s not that we are that stupid as consumers but carefully packeted, marketed, and cleverly placed products can by pass the most canny shopper. We found an organic marzipan bar which was not organic at all, and had added fructose and glucose – you would not get these ingredients in a certified organic product by the Soil Association (www.soilassociation.org).
As a nutritionist I find it highly annoying how hard it is to try and find the ingredients list of McDonalds, KFC, Subway, Burger King and even Nando’s. Try it: go to their websites. Often there are no ingredients listed at all, but we have a plethora of nutritional nonsense telling us how much fat and salt they contain – yes I know – useful to know but even more useful to know is the glucose syrup, anti foaming agent and other horrors that are lurking innocently in our fast food meal!. I want to know what I’m eating! It is not enough to know that my fast food meal only has 350 calories. That tells me very little indeed
FOOD LABELING – UNDERSTANDING THE JARGON
Best before
This is an indication of quality rather than safety, often appearing on foods that can be kept for some time, such as tinned, frozen and dried products. The food is unlikely to be harmful, but might have lost texture or flavour. Eggs are an exception, they should not be eaten after their sell by date.
Farm fresh
This statement is usually used on egg products but doesn’t really tell you much in my opinion – it makes no claims about the conditions the hens are kept in and can be applied to eggs from caged to battery hens.
Barn eggs
Barn hens stay inside, but have freedom of movement and access to feed, water nests and perches. This is a kind of halfway house between the free range and battery system.
Free range eggs
These are laid by hens who have continuous daytime access to outdoor runs. Under EC regulations, there are three ‘marketing terms’ for free-range chickens in the UK.
‘Free range’, ‘Traditional free range’ and ‘Free range – Total Freedom’.
See the July issue for Kate’s article on eggs.
Fortified
This means that nutrients have been added to a product at the manufacturing or packaging stage. Margarine is fortified by law, with vitamins A and D; others voluntarily, such as breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals.
Homogenised
This is a mechanical process used to distribute fat evenly, resulting in creamier and smoother milk. Milk is forced at high pressure through a tiny hole which breaks up fat globules and makes them an equal size. Single cream is often homogenised to stop it from separating during storage.
Hydrogenated fats and oil
These should be avoided if possible and are gradually being taken out of foods. Hydrogenated vegetable oils or fats are used in many processed foods. They’re created by bubbling hydrogen through oils to turn the fat solid, which alters the texture of the food and also extends its shelf life. The process can create trans fats, which can raise cholesterol levels in the blood.
Light or lite
This applies to foods where nutrients have been reduced by at least 30%. This is often sugar, and as many of my clients know I’m not a fan of lite foods as they often contain artificial sweeteners. It is up to you whether you think these are a healthy alternative but I avoid them.
Low calorie
Foods described as low calorie can’t contain more than 40kcal (170kJ) per 100g or 20 kcal (80kJ) per 100ml. However low calorie does not necessarily mean healthy, it can still be high in sugar. Remember the 99 calorie bar I was talking about? Usually full of sugar!
Low fat
A food can only claim to be low fat if it has no more than 3g fat per 100g or 1.5g fat per 100ml (or 1.8g fat per 100ml in the case of semi-skimmed milk). Again look for added sugar in low fat food and do not assume they are healthier food choices.
Low salt/sodium
A food can only claim to be low salt/sodium if it has no more than 0.3g salt/0.12g sodium per 100g or per ml.
Low sugar
Low sugar foods have no more than 5g sugar per 100g or 2.5g sugar per 100ml. Look for the addition of artificial sweeteners.
Organic
Organic food is produced without the use of artificial fertilisers or pesticides, the routine use of veterinary medicines such as antibiotics, or the use of genetic modification. EU-wide rules require organic foods to be approved by an organic certification body, which carries out regular inspections to ensure the food meets a strict set of detailed regulations relating to production methods and labelling. Organic farming also offers benefits for animal welfare, requiring animals to be kept in more natural, free-range conditions. Look for labels like The Soil Association. This is the gold standard of organic labeling. I have bought “organic” bars without this label and they have been sourced from GM seed and contained added glucose syrup.
Sell by
Used by some shops to help with stock control. The important dates for you to look at are the ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ dates, rather than the ‘sell by’ date.
Use by
Food shouldn’t be eaten after this date – this is the key date in terms of food safety. Use by dates are put on food that goes off quickly, such as poultry, meat, fish and some dairy products.
Polyunsaturated fats, saturated fats and monounsaturated fats
There are 3 different types of fat: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, increasing our chances of developing heart disease. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, on the other hand, have been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels and therefore help in reducing the risk of heart disease. Polyunsaturated fats are found in oily fish and some plant oil, including sunflower and soya oil, while monounsaturated fats are found in olive and rapeseed oil and avocados and some nuts.
Fairtrade
The Fairtrade logo means the food has met international fair trade standards. This guarantees that farmers in developing countries get a fair price for the food they produce and that workers receive fair wages and decent working conditions. Additional premiums are also paid to farmers to be used to improve businesses or communities.
For more information go to www.fairtrade.org.uk.
Red Tractor logo
All foods displaying the Red Tractor logo have met certain production standards in areas such as food safety and hygiene, environmental protection, animal welfare and inspections. The scheme is industry-run and the standards have been developed by producers and retailers. The logo can be applied to intensive as well as free-range farming methods, and can be used on imported products, as long as they meet the standards. It is the most trusted and well known food logo and is the one that most consumers recognise.
Wholegrain
This is generally used as a marketing term to mean that all 3 parts of the grain have been used: the fibre-containing bran, the middle layer and the nutrient-rich inner layer. Wholegrain foods contain more fibre and other nutrients than white or refined starchy foods. They also take longer to digest, so they can help you feel full for longer.
Join Kate at The Cookshelf every Tuesday night – Nutritional Workshops run from 6.30pm to 8pm. For more info go towww.cookshelf.co.uk to sign up. Topics include: The Myths of a Balanced Diet, IBS and Probiotics, How to shift weight for good and Food Labelling and Supplements.
