Food & Cooking

the tricks you should know about

31/12/2021 6:34 PM15 min read Susan S. Johnson

Table of Contents

Food labels demystified: the tricks you should know about

Karlina Valeiko

19 hrs ago

Secrets hiding in plain sight

Whether you’re looking to lose weight, prevent diabetes and heart disease, or are just looking to live a healthier life, buying food that’s good for you can be a minefield. With so much information (and disinformation) available online, it can then be quite overwhelming to know what products to choose and which ones to leave on the shelf. That’s why we’ve collated some of the most common food label secrets hiding in plain sight and reveal some straightforward tips on how to spot these.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Ingredients are arranged by weight

The ingredient list can tell us many things about the product we’re about to buy, but did you know the order in which the ingredients are listed also says a lot about it? The ingredients are arranged in descending order by weight in most countries. In other words, the main (or dominating) ingredient will always be listed first. For example, if you’re buying tomato sauce and tomatoes appear way down the list after water and oil, or avocado isn’t listed as the first ingredient in guacamole, you might want to leave it.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Organic might not mean what you think it means…

Food labeled as organic has to have at least 95% of organic ingredients both in the US and the UK, however, something labeled as ‘made with organic ingredients’ can contain up to 30% non-organic ingredients. But beware that organic doesn’t necessarily mean healthier either – the label has nothing to do with calories, fat, carbs or sugar in the food. The rules are even looser when it comes to organic meat and farmed animals are sometimes treated extremely poorly even on organic farms.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

… same as ‘free range’

By now we’re pretty clued up on animal welfare and know that higher quality products mean higher quality of life for the animals. But nothing is as straightforward as that. For a product to be labeled ‘free range’, the animal has to have access to an outside area for at least part of the day but it’s not specified how long, so it can be as little as five minutes. In the US, the term also only applies to chickens so such label on eggs is meaningless. In the UK the rules are slightly stricter so look out for the Soil Association label for eggs from much happier hens.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

What does ‘natural’ really mean?

According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), nothing at all. Products such as certain Cheetos, lemon-flavored Oreos and Skippy peanut butter all have the word ‘natural’ written across their labels. However, a dismissed lawsuit against food manufacturer Hormel uncovered that its Natural Choice label products use the same hormone- and antibiotic-treated animals that are used to produce items like Spam. Across the pond, EU legislation currently only defines natural mineral waters and lays down the conditions for flavorings to be described as natural.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Steer clear of low sugar and low fat products

There’s a very simple explanation as to why these terms are totally useless if you’re looking to improve your diet. For a product to still taste great, when something is taken away, something else needs to replace it – in low sugar or sugar-free foods it’s usually more fat and other additives, while the lack of fat in low-fat food is disguised with obscene amounts of sugar. Read the nutritional facts carefully and choose a product that’s better for you all-round.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Zero doesn’t always mean zero

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Be mindful of serving sizes

Speaking of serving sizes, these are used to manipulate consumers into buying a certain product too. Firstly, if the food is displayed on the packaging, it’s very rarely just one serving so the consumer thinks they are getting more for their buck. You also have to be careful with foods like chips and popcorn. The amount of calories, fat and sugar will normally be listed per serving, making the food appear healthier as it is. In reality, you’re very likely to consume the whole bag which usually contains around five or six servings, thus consuming a lot of extra calories, fat and sugar.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Watch out for label padding

A nifty little trick up food producers’ sleeves is label padding. In simple terms, it’s when food manufacturers (especially processed food producers eager to jump on the health food bandwagon) add a miniscule amount of a ‘good’ ingredient to then be able to market the foodstuff as healthy or containing a certain mineral, vitamin etc. Most popular add-ons you might see highlighted on packaging include added omega-3s, fiber, acai or goji berries. Legally, there are no rules that prevent food producers from doing this.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Be sceptical about ‘baked, not fried’

It’s safe to say most of us would assume ‘baked, not fried’ chips are much better for us, but there are many other ways how fat can be added to food. For example, there’s not much difference whether the chips are fried, or have the fat added to them first and then baked. Compare the labels of both fried and baked, and you might discover the saturated fat content you were so keen to avoid is rather high in both.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Animal products hiding in plain sight

Vegetarians and vegans might want to check the label on presumably vegetarian foods twice. For example, it turns out many brands, fast food outlets and restaurants use lard (or pork fat) to inject an especially savory and rich flavor into their refried beans. Check before ordering and read the label – in the US many brands like Old El Paso or Rosarita list lard in the ingredients, so look for vegetarian refried beans instead.

Need veggie meals inspiration? Check out these 50 recipes the whole family will love

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Fish products hiding in plain sight

Similarly, if you have a fish allergy or are vegan or vegetarian, don’t assume that innocent-looking products are safe for you to consume. For example, Worcestershire sauce hides a secret ingredient that’s been used in the making of this condiment since its inception in 1835 – anchovies. The fish are packed in salt and left to mature for 18 months and are then used to make the finished product. If you have allergies or specific dietary requirements, always remember to read the label carefully.

Read our guide to Worcestershire sauce here

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

There’s seaweed in dairy-free milks

Seaweed is a popular ingredient found in many dishes across the Asian continent, but did you know an extract made from seaweed is also used as a thickener and a stabilizer in food too? An extract known as carrageenan is commonly added to dairy alternative products, including soy, rice and almond milk. It’s also used instead of gelatin in plant-based products.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Are there antibiotics in your meat?

Short answer is yes, but you won’t see it on the label. Antibiotics are routinely fed to livestock to protect against illnesses, but antibiotic use to promote growth in animals was banned in the EU in 2006 and in the US in 2017. There are still serious concerns about the close links between over-use of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance. Data gathered in 2018 revealed that nearly three-quarters of the worldwide supply of antibiotics is used on animals rather than people, which raises further concerns about the possible effects of antibiotic resistance.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

No artificial additives doesn’t mean no additives at all

Many food producers will use this claim to trick consumers into thinking their product is healthier. But food that’s not packed full of artificial additives can still have plenty of other additives that are produced in a factory from natural substances and are artificially added to the product. So if you’re after food that has no additives whatsoever, the claim ‘no artificial additives’ can be very misleading.

Here are 21 healthy eating myths that aren’t true

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Know your additives: tartrazine

Many processed foods contain a long list of food colorings made from a by-product of the petroleum industry – one being Yellow No. 5, also known as E102 or tartrazine. A synthetic additive that used to give boxed mac ‘n’ cheese that distinct yellow color, tartrazine was linked to childhood hyperactivity in 2007 which resulted in an EU requirement to put a warning label on such products. While Kraft changed its mac ‘n’ cheese recipe in 2016, there’s no such requirement in the US and there are still plenty of processed foods on supermarket shelves that contain tartrazine.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Know your additives: carmine

Carmine is a red food coloring that’s made by boiling the shells of cochineal bugs (a type of beetle) and is commonly used to color foods like candy, lollipops and dessert sauces. Although harmless to most, it can cause severe allergic reactions so the FDA requires it to be clearly labeled as carmine on products. If you see carmine, cochineal extract or E120 on the label, you’re eating powdered bug. Not keen? The synthetic alternatives, Red No. 2 and Red No. 40, don’t sound much better as they’re made from petroleum products.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Know your additives: E904

Often used as a natural resin to add a glossy coating to foods like jelly beans, shellac can also be found in nail varnishes, wood finishes and furniture polish. A sticky substance excreted by the female lac bug, native to forests of India and Thailand, shellac can even be used on citrus, apples and other fruits as a surface treatment to give them a glossy shine. Approved for use in food in most countries, it’s typically labeled as additive E904.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Know your additives: L-Cysteine

Chances are you currently have a store-bought loaf of bread, packet of cookies or perhaps a cake in your kitchen. L-Cysteine, called E920 on the label, is an amino acid that’s used to strengthen the dough and improve shelf-life in such products. What might surprise you is that this additive comes from duck and chicken feathers, cow horns, pig bristles and… human hair which is dissolved in acid to isolate the L-Cysteine compound. Although in recent years most L-Cysteine is synthetically produced, most labels don’t disclose where the additive has been derived from.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Know your additives: smoke flavoring

This surprising ingredient gives a deep smoky flavor and aroma to foods such as barbecue sauces, baked beans, hot dogs and beef jerky. It’s created by capturing the condensation of smoke in cold air from burning wood or sawdust. The droplets containing the intense smoky aroma can then be used as an alternative to actual smoking. On labels you’ll typically see it as smoke flavoring – it’s what gives sauces like Heinz Classic Barbecue Sauce and Sweet Baby Ray’s Original Barbecue Sauce their signature smoky depth of flavor.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Know your sugars

Most people are pretty clued up on sugar and know not to buy products with a high sugar content. But this also means food producers are much smarter about hiding sugars. For example, sugar can appear in the ingredients list as glucose, lactose, sucrose, dextrose, maltose, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), honey, maple syrup and many others. This means that the presence of sugar can be hidden in the ingredients list by naming each type of sugar used. This can then sometimes sum up to be a substantial amount of sugar so check the total content in the nutritional fact box.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Also watch out for ‘no added sugar’

Another easy trick used by food producers is claiming there’s no added sugar, which automatically makes consumers think it must be better than others. However, what about the sugar that’s already there? Something like milk or fruit contain quite a lot of sugar naturally so if something is made out of those ingredients, it will automatically have sugar too. Don’t assume ‘no added sugar’ means no sugar at all and read the nutritional information carefully.

Discover your favorite foods that contain some really unexpected ingredients

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

Your truffle oil probably contains no truffles…

When it comes to truffle oil, it’s more surprising what isn’t in it than what is. It’s no secret that fresh truffles are pretty hard to come by and harvest, which makes them incredibly expensive. So it shouldn’t really come as a shock that most truffle oils haven’t been anywhere near a real truffle. If you’ve tasted fresh shaved truffles and foods with truffle oil, you’ll know the flavor differs considerably. This is because most oils are infused with synthetically made ingredients, specifically 2,4-Dithiapentane, which is an aromatic molecule that gives truffles their smell.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

… and there are no cocoa solids in white chocolate

Another common food that surprises with what it’s lacking is white chocolate, which technically isn’t even chocolate at all. While milk and dark chocolate are made from cocoa solids – cocoa beans removed from pods, fermented, dried, roasted and cracked open – white chocolate isn’t. A blend of cocoa butter, milk products, vanilla, sugar and fatty emulsifier lecithin is what makes white chocolate. You might be wondering whether the presence of cocoa butter might be enough to consider it chocolate, but it’s only the cocoa solids, or nibs, that define chocolate.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

You might not even be buying what the label says

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

26/26 SLIDES

Opens in a new window
Opens an external site
Opens an external site in a new window

Share