Conscious shopping: look for these symbols on the packaging!

What should you pay attention to when buying food?

Conscious shopping is extremely important if you want to eat healthily. The shelves of grocery stores are overflowing with various products, all promising to be delicious, healthy, and nutritious. However, this is not always the case. How can you choose the right foods? In this article, I will review what to look for when shopping for food before you put a product in your basket.

1.List of ingredients

The list of ingredients is one of the most important sources of information on the packaging. Ingredients are always listed in order of quantity, so the ingredient with the highest proportion is listed first.

Let’s look at an example!

Product name: Sugar-free whole grain cocoa rolls

Ingredients (extract): wheat flour, water, whole grain rye flour (26%), sweeteners: fructose

What’s wrong? The first ingredient is wheat flour, so that’s what’s in there the most. Whole grain rye flour is only third.

If you are on a diet, buy products that list slow-absorbing carbohydrates as the first ingredient, i.e., whole grain flour (preferably rye or spelt).

What makes bread whole grain?

Whole wheat flour contains all the nutrients of wheat grains. It is important that it is processed as thoroughly as possible. The more flour is extracted from wheat during processing, i.e. the higher the milling percentage, the more bran is included. The bran makes the flour darker in color and increases its vitamin B1 and fiber content. This gives it a low glycemic index, as the body needs more time to digest it.

Read this too! >> Healthy flours: which one should you choose and why?

Check the labels and pay attention to them when shopping:

• Avoid artificial additives!
  For example, preservatives, colorants, flavor enhancers.
• Minimize added sugars and sweeteners!
  They may appear under different names on the ingredient list, such as sucrose or fructose.
• Be wary of unfamiliar or difficult-to-pronounce ingredients!
  These are often artificial substances or additives that are best avoided.

How many names does added sugar have?

It can be misleading if you see sucrose on the packaging instead of sugar, as this fancy name is just a slightly more scientific term for table sugar and is nothing more than beet sugar produced from sugar beets or cane sugar produced from sugar cane. You may also see the following terms on the packaging: beet sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, or maple sugar (extracted from maple sap in northern countries).

Grape sugar (also known as glucose or dextrose) is a simple, rapidly absorbed sugar.

Read this too: >> Healthy sugar alternatives: what to use instead and why it matters

Other names (not an exhaustive list): fructose, raw sugar, invert sugar, molasses, caramel, all types of syrup (e.g., glucose syrup, corn syrup, maple syrup, agave syrup, etc.), maltodextrin, sucrose, grape juice concentrate, concentrated sugar cane juice, etc.

2. Nutritional value table

The nutritional value table is a great help for conscious shoppers and dieters alike. It helps you understand what nutrients a given product contains and in what quantities.

Important elements to look for on the packaging:

a) Calorie content

Look for the calorie count on the packaging! You will usually see a value per 100 grams and a value equal to the weight of the product. You can easily compare the 100-gram value with other products.

Check how many calories a serving contains in relation to your daily energy requirement.

You don’t necessarily have to choose the one with fewer calories, as a 300-calorie snack may be fine for you, while someone else may only have a 200-calorie limit. Learn more about calorie counting: Calorie Calculator for Weight Loss

b) Macronutrients

In addition to calories, macronutrients are very important, which are as follows: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Look at the total value for these, and don’t be misled by the fact that some of it is sugar or some of it is full-fat. If you are on a diet, you need to know how many grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fat you can eat per day.

c) Trans fatty acids

You should also pay attention to fully or partially hydrogenated vegetable fats on the packaging. It is important to pay attention to this because, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), even 2 grams per day can be harmful to your health (it can cause heart disease, diabetes, and obesity).

Trans fatty acids are found in the following foods, for example: refined coconut oil, food coating paste, candy, cream-filled cookies, wafers, linzer cookies, tea cookies, soup powders, buttered popcorn, and most fast food and cafeteria foods that are fried in fat. (Unfortunately, foods fried in trans fatty acids are crispier and therefore tastier.)

It is important to choose coconut oil that is cold-pressed or virgin coconut oil (you can recognize this by the VCO label). Refined coconut oil contains unhealthy trans fatty acids.

d) Fiber

High-fiber foods keep you feeling full longer and aid digestion.

e) Vitamins and minerals

Some foods may be rich in certain vitamins and minerals, which can be beneficial in terms of our nutritional needs.

3. Place of origin and quality certificates

• Place of origin
  It is worth paying attention to where a given product comes from. Local products are often fresher and have a smaller ecological footprint.
• Quality certificates
  Labels such as organic, fair trade, and GMO-free can help you choose foods from more reliable and sustainable sources.

4. Warranty period

Always check the expiration date of the product! Consuming expired products poses health risks. In addition, if you are shopping for several days or weeks in advance, it is important to ensure that the product will remain consumable during the period of use.

5. Type of packaging

Packaging is also important from an environmental perspective. Choosing products with sustainable, recyclable, or biodegradable packaging reduces environmental impact.

Look for these on the packaging:

• Recyclable materials
  Look for products with recyclable packaging.
• Minimal packaging
  Avoid overpackaged products to reduce waste.

Summary

Conscious shopping is based on thoroughly reading and understanding information. The list of ingredients, nutritional information table, place of origin and quality certificates, shelf life, and type of packaging are all important factors that contribute to making healthier, more sustainable decisions. Be a conscious consumer and don’t fall for tempting advertisements!