Look Out For These Common Red Flags On Supermarket Food Labels
NEWS
By KATIE MELYNN
Gluten-Free
Gluten-free labels on fruits and veggies can misleadingly influence people to pick certain brands, as the said items don’t naturally contain gluten in the first place.
If you see fruits or veggies labeled as gluten-free being sold for a higher price than the same option without the label, check if something else is making the item worth the cost.
Added Water
Lunch meats injected, soaked, or otherwise altered with added water are more processed and mostly pricier, as you pay for the package’s weight, which includes the water.
If water is the second entry on the meat’s ingredients list, it's likely very processed, and you’ll get less of the actual meat. Instead, buy meats with a no retained water label.
No Sugar Added
Although raw fruits and vegetables contain natural sugars, they don't have anything added to them at all. Hence, no sugar added labels on them are simply irrelevant.
Such labeling doesn't change their nutritional value or content and can make people think that a particular fruit, vegetable, or brand is superior to others when it’s actually not.
No Expiration Date
Rancid, spoiled olive oil can’t make you sick, but it can ruin your food’s taste. Olive oil without a clearly labeled best-by or expiration date is a red flag.
Some bottles include a bottling date instead of a best-by date, and some mention a harvest date, too. Such labels can help you discern the time frame you should use the oil within.
Light Yogurt
A light or lite label on yogurt means it has less fat or calories than the regular yogurt from the same brand, so it could still have more additives than other brands.
Brands should only differentiate between how their own products were made and not between their light yogurt and offerings from other brands. It’s best to rely on nutrition facts.