How Not Reading Food Labels Can Cost You Your Health
Never trust the claims on the front of the box — always read the back
It is no secret that food and beverage companies intentionally use marketing to have us believe something that isn’t entirely true.
For example, did you know that sugar can be listed under any one of its 50+ aliases? Also, contrary to common belief, many savory foods, like tomato sauce and ketchup, can have a significant amount of added sugar. So, you don’t have to have a sweet tooth to be consuming a large amount of hidden sugars.
Added sugars are any sugars added into food and beverages that are not naturally occurring (such as that found in fruits and vegetables.)
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, the average American consumes a total of 17 teaspoons (equivalent to 85g) of added sugar each day. In comparison, the American Heart Association recommends limiting the consumption of added sugars for both men and women to 36 g/day and 24g/day, respectively.
According to Healthline, some of the common aliases of sugar are:
- Barley malt
- Molasses
- Cane juice crystals
- High fructose corn syrup
