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A growing array of products from bread to potato chips proudly proclaim themselves to be "multigrain." While this may appear to be a synonym for "whole grain" or "whole wheat" -- which is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and digestive problems -- it's not. It simply means the food is made from several grains, which may be whole or refined. Labels such as "12 grain" and "made with" whole wheat can be equally deceptive. To make sure the food is rich in whole grains, check the ingredients. The first one listed should contain the word "whole."
Top 10 Food Label Tricks to Avoid in 2012
Seeded on Mon Jan 16, 2012 2:51 PM EST
Article Source: The Huffington Post
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The "natural" label implies that a food contains no artificial ingredients and is therefore more wholesome. But often that's not the case. The FDA has no strict definition of the term, and many packaged foods claiming to be natural contain added chemicals and other substances. The USDA, which regulates meat and poultry, has a more precise definition (no artificial ingredients and minimally processed), but it still allows for some additives. In addition, it's permissible to slap a "natural" label on meat and poultry from animals raised with antibiotics or hormones.
- 3 votes
#1 - Mon Jan 16, 2012 2:52 PM ESTPerhaps the biggest trick of all is unrealistic serving sizes listed on the Nutrition Facts panel. Because we often consume more than these amounts, we wind up getting more calories, saturated and trans fat and sodium than the label indicates. Especially misleading are snacks and beverages from vending machines or convenience stores that seem to be single servings. Often the fine print reveals that they contain two or three servings, making them even less healthful than they appear. Just another reason to always read before you eat.
- 4 votes
I appreciate that this article is mostly related to the "healthiness" of a product. There is a "truth in labeling" issue near and dear to my heart.
How would any of you understand a label that said it was a "10% Kona Blend?"
For the purpose of honesty, I am a Kona coffee farmer and only sell 100% Kona coffee.
Not only is this about your health it is also about your wallet!!!
After some or a few reply I will explain what "10% Kona Blend" actual is and means.
- 3 votes
I will be interested in hearing your answer. My guess is that it is 90% coffee from other parts of the world and only 10% actual Kona coffee.
- 3 votes
I'm guessing that 10% is not kona, but a blend of kona and other beans... putting the kona percentage at 5% or less???
I'm just going be here brewing until you perk up with the expressed answer
- 3 votes
There seems to be a shortage of inquiring minds...
Okay here is the answer:
A 10% Kona blend means that 10% of the coffee in the package must be a minimum of 10% Kona coffee that has met Hawaii coffee grading standards.
The other 90% of the coffee beans can be from anywhere in the world! There are two issuse with this last item. First, the processors/blenders do not list the origin of the other beans. Second, federal regulation for most other food products, all I think, require that the ingredients in a food product be listed in the order of which is "MOST" in a product. The blenders do not list anything! The problem, presently, is that Hawaii law does not require them to list the other coffee beans. We have fought every year for 20 years to get that changed.
Here is why:
We, our organization, have investigated the customs documents, and they disclose that the processor/blenders have this imported green beans which they blend, delivered to Hawaii for $2.00 a pound, including the shipping. That is the complete cost. You can imagine what crap quality of coffee beans they are purchasing. The cost to produce a pound of green Kona coffee beans is a minimum of $8.00 a pound.
So the processor/blenders trade on the good name of 100% Kona coffee, charge the consumer the same price for a 10% Kona blend as what is charged for a 100% Kona coffee.
The processors/blenders steal from the 100% Kona coffee farmer and the consumer, while making extreme profits.
So...that is the short answer to the question.
There is much more, now, as a result of the imported green beans being brought into Hawaii we have a new coffee pest which is destroying the crop!!!
- 3 votes
That sucks... Your answer was much worse than I expected, and importing the new coffee pest really tops it of. I hope growers find a way to manage the pest, because Kona coffee is some of the best coffee in the world IMHO.
- 2 votes
There probably would have been more inquiries, but my pages don't show up in the Top Seeds box, or Most Active Stories box on the front page any more. Some kind of problem Newsvine is having with my account. :(
- 2 votes
You and I must be frowned upon by the powers that be...something.
Change...I wish I could believe in.
- 2 votes
Just a brief follow-up.
This is all too similar to the credit derivatives, cmos etc...that goldman sachs orchestrated and sooner or later it will likely cause a crash or the destruction of the Kona coffee industry just like they crashed the economy.
- 2 votes
human studies of the sweetener high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) have generally shown it to be no worse for our waistlines or our health than table sugar. The two have a similar chemical makeup, and both contain about the same number of calories.
Whoah, I disagree there. That "similar" (but not identical) chemical makeup causes them to be metabolized differently.
- 4 votes
#2 - Mon Jan 16, 2012 3:06 PM ESTworse yet.. I read the ingredients of a natural substance, it appears some of the low calorie sugar subsitutes are considered "natural" , sure nature made them, but how long have people been eating it. worse yet some are suspected to screw with blood chemistry much more than HFCS
you really have to read every ingredient and make the choice of what you consider natural and wholesome...
- 4 votes
I've heard that too, Shannoscubie, about the high fructose corn syrup being metabolized differently than regular sugar and being more harmful to you.
- 3 votes
It is FACT!
the high fructose corn syrup being metabolized differently than regular sugar and being more harmful to you.
- 3 votes
I extend that fact, into suspiction about sucralose, and other "natural" sugars..
- 3 votes
The "natural" label implies that a food contains no artificial ingredients and is therefore more wholesome. But often that's not the case.
This one makes me crazy because it's legally allowable to label something as "natural" when it has MSG or hydrolized vegetable protein in it because glutamate occurs "naturally."
- 5 votes
#3 - Mon Jan 16, 2012 3:21 PM ESTFor that matter, arsenic occurs naturally.
Even with the very limited amount of prepared/packaged food products I use, I *always* read the label.
For people who consume a lot of processed food, the most often overlooked danger is, I think, the insane levels of sodium.
- 5 votes
These problems with food labeling laws have been around for a long time. I remember reading about the same kinds of things when I was studying nutrition back in the early 1980s.
- 4 votes
another worthless food label word,, organic... as if organic is better.. go ahead and enjoy.. a glass of organic turpentine, and as if in-organic is harmful.. generalizations are worthless on a food label
- 5 votes
Many labels are simply a way to get consumers to buy more of the product, and are worthless in providing information to make a decision with. Have you seen the commercials lately showing that a particular brand of cereal is "healthy" since the number one ingredient is whole grain? My wife and I have been talking about how screwed up those commercials are. You could have a cereal that is only 30% whole grain for example, if all the other ingredients are less. 30% whole grain, 28% sugar, 28% high fructose corn syrup, 14% preservatives and artificial flavors and colors... Talk about ridiculous...
- 4 votes
preservatives I think are the worst, tons of things are added to food to prevent spoilage, which ignores the chemistry of digestion is essentially the same process... and wonder why food bloats and upsets our digestion.. if preservatives prevent bacteria from digesting food, how is our intestines supposed to do it??
I speak from the experiences of a crones/coilus patient...
myself, I don't mind the HFCS.. and have used KARO syrup and sugar to make hard candy at the holidays using essential flavoring oils... a recipe called scissor candy, because you use scissors to cut the hot molten sugar taffy into pieces before it cools to hard tack.. It was a familiy ritual at the holidays... everyone getting burned fingers, once it cools..its like glass..
- 4 votes
I speak from the experiences of a crones/coilus patient...
Check out histamine intolerance. That helped explain the vast majority of my long-term food issues.
- 5 votes
Here's a couple of links I left in the other thread about that, in case anyone is interested.
http://www.allergyuk.org/fs_histamine.aspx
http://www.foodsmatter.com/allergy_intolerance/histamine/articles/histamine_joneja.html
- 4 votes
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