The You Care Guide to Mindful Food Shopping

Did you know?

A typical person makes 2.2 trips to the grocery store per week? And Did you know that a regular e- supermarket contains nearly 39,000 items? No wonder it’s so easy to get lost!

Undoubtedly, the food industry does not make it easy for consumers to be health-conscious or intelligent.  Whether you buy online or at the grocery store, there are a few basics you should be aware of to help you choose wisely. Find out what terms to look for on our portal and how to shop mindfully for you and your family from the You Care team.

Introduction

To lead a quality lifestyle, we have always stressed the importance of our four pillars: Cellular Nutrition, Adequate Exercise, Deep Sleep, and Emotional Health. Here, we’ll focus on one of the key pillars: Nutrition. We read a lot about nutrition and eating healthily, but we often overlook an essential part of reading the labels of products we consider for our health. 

We also buy organic, natural, and raw products online, believing we are doing our health a great favour. But, our question is: Are you familiar with these terms? Would you like to know what it can do to your body? By looking at the labels of the same cinnamon, can you tell them apart? If you are not well versed, then stick to this booklet for tips on how to shop mindfully and maintain a quality lifestyle.

Reading the label is more important than believing the front claims on the package. If you are not well versed in reading food labels, this booklet is for you. Keep it handy with you. This article will discuss the same and provide a few more details to ensure you understand some terminology.

Essential Guide to Reading Food Nutrition Labels

There’s no question that food is medicine, but now we have a much more pressing question about what kind of food is genuinely healthy, pure and honest. We are surrounded by thousands and thousands of corrupt foods in our markets today. Some may seem healthy, but if you stop for a moment and think, is it so? Does the product deserve the claims it makes?

Many products on the market claim to be healthy, but in reality, they contain excess chemicals or pesticides. We need to know precisely how to read and understand food labels if we use food as medicine.

Image by pch.vector on Freepik

By reading nutrition labels often before buying any product, you can choose packaged and labelled foods that are as healthy as possible. In recent years, people have been paying more attention to nutrition labels as they become more health-conscious. However, food companies have become more aware of consumer behaviour and are now finding ways to entice consumers by making them believe they are choosing healthy food. Consumers buy unhealthy food in fancy packaging but purchase the same unhealthy food. Remember these simple clues, and you can avoid putting on lousy weight or polluting your body.

NUTRITION FACTS: HOW TO CHOOSE FOODS WISELY

To start, set up a weekly or monthly menu before shopping online. Plan your weekly menu and snacks, just as you would a calendar. This will allow you to identify potential meal gaps and when a particular pantry staple may run out.

Now, when you enter the grocery store online or offline, your main objective should be to read, comprehend, and make an informed choice based on the labels. What should you check on the label?

SERVING SIZE and NET WEIGHT:

• On the Nutrition Facts label, you’ll find the number of servings in the container and the size of each serving. A serving size is based on how much food people typically consume at one time and is not a recommendation on how much to drink. Don’t exceed the serving size in one meal. 
• Generally, Nutrition Facts Labels are based on one serving/per 100g/100ml. However, many packages may contain more than one serving or more than 100g/100ml.
• You should determine how many servings/g/ml you are consuming. One packet contains two servings/200g/200ml, so if you eat everything in a container, you have consumed twice as many calories and nutrients. So, this is how you can calculate based on the serving size and weight.
• Also, you may see the term Percent Daily Value (DV) on many labels. It simply refers to how much a nutrient should be consumed or not consumed each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) refers to how much a nutrient contributes to a daily diet. Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, the Daily Values are calculated. Foods with 5% or less of a nutrient per serving are considered low in that nutrient. A food is considered high in nutrients if it contains 20% or more of that nutrient per serving. Whether you need more (such as dietary fibre) or less (such as saturated fat), low and high can be good or bad.

ENERGY:

• This is where you can find the calories per serving, given in kcal, which stands for kilocalories, or many times in KJ, which stands for kilojoules. For example, if a packet contains two servings and each serving contains 100 calories, eating the whole box will result in 200 calories.
• It is essential to note that fat-free does not mean calorie-free. The calories in low-fat items may be the same as in full-fat items.
• According to FSSAI guidelines, low-calorie products should not contain more than 40 calories per 100 grams of solids or 20 calories per 100 ml of liquids. When choosing low-calorie foods, keep these numbers in mind.

FATS & CHOLESTEROL:

• Choose foods with the least saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol on the label to help reduce your heart disease risk. 
• A low-fat product is one with no more than 3g of fat per 100g for solids and 1.5g per 100ml for liquids, according to FSSAI.

Trans-Fatty Acid

• You can check the nutrition label of packaged food items for TFA content. If it is more than 0.2 grams per serving, you should avoid buying the product and find healthier alternatives.
• The nutrition fact panel on some food products might not mention trans fatty acid/trans fats. If this is the case, always check the ingredient list for words like “shortening” or “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil”, which contain a significant amount of trans fats. If it is mentioned, avoid the product and choose a healthier alternative.                 

CARBOHYDRATES:

• Carbohydrates can be classified as Simple Sugar or Complex Carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates include sugars, jaggery, and honey. Complex carbohydrates include soluble and insoluble fibre. 
• Limiting sugars, significantly added sugars, is the best way to reduce your risk of obesity. If a product contains less than 5 grams of sugar per 100 grams of solids or 2.5 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres of liquid, it can be declared low in sugar.
• Take a look at the fibre content. A diet rich in fibre improves digestive health and overall well-being.
• Getting enough fibre is essential! Don’t be fooled by whole grain imposters. Look for products that have at least 2 grams of fibre per serving on the label of bread, cereals, granola bars, crackers & pasta. You should know that the wheat flour often referred to as maida on products is refined wheat flour. Unless it’s labelled Whole Wheat Flour, it’s not wheat flour.

 PROTEIN:

It is essential to choose foods that are high in protein. Our bodies are made up of proteins, which are the fundamental building blocks. This type of protein is found in small amounts in all body tissues, including muscles, bones, hair, skin, and bones, and it is vital for their function.

SODIUM

Choose foods with a low sodium content to reduce your blood pressure risk. FSSAI defines Low Sodium as containing less than 0.12 g sodium per 100 g of solids or 100 ml of liquid.This is a very important sign as many times, products who claim to be low in calories may be high in sodium. So, check for all the points.

INGREDIENTS AND ADDICTIVE:

Be familiar with the hierarchy of the ingredients listed under composition. It is always the FIRST ingredient on the list that is the biggest. For example, if the first ingredient is sugar, the product is mostly sugar regardless of any claims it makes, such as “Less sugar”, “Suitable for diabetics,” etc.

Avoid foods that are partially hydrogenated, artificially flavoured or coloured, contain trans fats, high amounts of salt, and contain high fructose corn syrup, monosodium glutamate, artificial sweeteners, etc. Many products use different names to make their place in the market safe, but one needs to be aware of these gimmicks and stay away from them.

Avoid foods with a LONG INGREDIENT LIST. Generally, more than half the ingredients are chemicals and artificial. Natural foods (with fewer ingredients) tend to be wholesome (more realistic).

This covers how to read the basic food label. If you achieve this, trust us – you are 90% there to fulfil your 1st pillar – Nutrition.

Moreover, let’s also understand a couple more terms that are trending today but aren’t very well explained. Understanding these few terms will help you make an informed decision.

Difference Between Organic and Natural:

The words “Natural” and “Organic” sound the same but are different. Organic products are grown without synthetic chemicals, such as conventional pesticides and fertilizers. They do not contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs), while natural products don’t promise all of this but may be free of synthetic or artificial ingredients or additives.

Fruits and vegetables are an example of organic. Certified organic fruits and vegetables are grown on soil free from harmful synthetic chemicals and pesticides. Organic products are always supervised by certified bodies and conform to strict guidelines. Natural products, on the other hand, are not certified.

All organic products can be considered natural, but not all-natural products can be regarded as organic.

Source: USDA

What is a GMO?

A GMO, or genetically modified organism, is a plant, animal, microorganism or another organism whose genetic makeup has been altered in a laboratory using genetic engineering or transgenic technology. This creates combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.

Look for these signs:

• Buy foods labelled “100% Organic.”

• Look for the “Non-GMO Project Verified” label on product packaging

• These ingredients or derivatives may be genetically modified:

Soybeans or soybean products: soy lecithin, soy protein, isolated soy, or soy flour, for example. A common additive to soy products is its heavy modification.

Corn and corn-based products: Corn derivatives include corn starch, high-fructose corn syrup, modified food/corn starch, and corn oil.

Canola oil: Almost all canola oil or rapeseed oil produced worldwide is genetically engineered.

Dairy products: In many dairy farms, cows are given the genetically modified growth hormone rBGH or rBST. Choose milk from grass-fed cows that do not contain growth hormones.

Sugar beets: There are two types of sugar on product labels – cane sugar and sugar beet sugar. To avoid beet sugar, look for products with evaporated cane sugar, organic sugar, or cane sugar as an ingredient.

Aspartame: It is a GMO-derived artificial sweetener in addition to being unnatural and unhealthy. Products containing aspartame include sugar substitutes, sugar-free gum, diet sodas, and beverages.

What do we mean by ozone-washed fruits and vegetables?

Ozone is a powerful oxidant (appx 1.5 more potent than chlorine) when used to decompose pollutants & harmful organic matter. Certified as safe by FDA (USA) for use on food. Ozone kills bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Listeria, and other food pathogens. Leaves behind no toxic residue on treated produce. Improves shelf life by eliminating bacteria responsible for food spoilage.

Eating the Safest possible Fruits & Veggies shouldn’t be hard. Stop worrying about Residue Covered Fruits & Veggies when you opt for Ozone–Washed. Shop Fresh Fruits and Vegetables here.

Go for Ozone Washed Fruits and Vegetables today.

What do we mean by hormone-free milk?

Hormone-free milk is the milk product obtained from the cows raised without administering growth hormones.

Find all A2 milk here.

These tricks may seem like they’ll leave you with few options, but that’s not always the case. It is not necessary to give up your favourite foods; all you need to do is make the right choices. There are several options available on the market today. In addition to helping create healthy food that is accessible, sustainable, and environmentally friendly and benefiting us as a medicine when we consume it, we also want to make it affordable and sustainable.

You Care Lifestyle is a platform built by Luke Coutinho and his team to assist his clients in choosing safer and healthier alternatives as part of his wellness and condition-based programs. Their approach to holistic health focuses on the four pillars, namely cellular nutrition, quality sleep, emotional detox, and adequate exercise, which is reflected in the You Care Lifestyle platform.

Our goal is to build a healthy, ethical, sustainable food chain across India and the world by engaging farmers, vendors, and ethical producers and enabling people worldwide to directly interact with them through our platform.

Every product on the You Care Lifestyle platform is usually recommended by Luke’s team, comprised of nutritionists, health coaches, doctors and yoga experts, carefully selected through a detailed validation process.

Besides healthy food solutions, You Care also offers natural products for personal care, pet care, home care, and gardening. They are committed to the core values of quality, honesty, and transparency!

We want to create a healthy, ethical and sustainable food chain across India and the world by supporting our farmers, vendors and ethical producers and helping people from all across the globe connect with them directly through our platform.

Shop On www.youcarelifestyle.com TODAY!

Please send us feedback at support@youcarelifestyle.com or call us at 7059700700 if you have any questions.