Here's how to say - Liar, liar

shoutjoy
on 3/16/14 7:40 pm - Culpeper, VA

“You feel like you're eating the right things but the weight's not falling off much. Here's how to say, "Liar, liar..."”

Car insurance salesmen, lawyers, and politicians have gotten a bad rap for being liars. There's another group who's worse, though - food marketing companies. They're experts at manipulating words to make us believe things that are completely untrue about the foods we eat. They use key words like "Light," "Fit," "Well-balanced," "Multi-grain," and "Low" - whatever it takes to catch our attention. Our impressionable minds make the leap that these words mean "healthy." As usual, we get suckered. We have to read both the nutrition and ingredients labels to uncover their trickery. Often you'll find that items that are low-carb may be higher in fat. Items lower in fat may be higher in sugar or sodium. Don't save in one area to pay the price in another. One popular bread label reads, "Whole Grain, White Bread." Oops. Get your magnifying glass out and it really says, "made with Whole Grain." Big difference. Whole grain bread should list whole grain wheat (or whatever) as the first ingredient. If something is "made with" whole grain, it may contain only a small amount of whole grain. The only benefit this bread has over regular white bread is a fraction more fiber... and a bigger price tag, and oh, by the way, more calories. Becoming educated on what's really good for you will reap rewards on the scale.

Clueless about weight loss and weight loss surgery of any kind.

    

        
momjan
on 3/17/14 12:55 am - Canada

This is so true.  My daughter was browsing the frozen food aisles the other day and I noticed a product from Special K - breakfast  protein sandwich of some type.  I compared the 'protein' sandwich with the regular and there was LESS protein in it than the regular.  So, always read your labels (and making your own is so much healthier anyways!!). 

The other thing is, what is an acceptable amount of 'anything' for us?  Have most people been given guidelines as to how much protein, cals, fats, sugars, carbs they should be aiming at?  My program aims at 5-5-5 - more than 5 grams of protein, less than 5 g of fat, less than 5 grams sugar per serving.  As for carbs, I was not told, but tend to avoid processed carbs anyways, so no bread, crackers, potatoes, rices, pasta etc. and I try to get most my carbs from veggies.  The 5-5-5 is a good guideline when reading labels.

 

Just Ducky - The
Meditative Hag

on 3/17/14 4:55 am - Belleville, IL

Bravo! and so true, we really need to teach ourselves HOW to read food labels, and how to "read between the lines" as you so eloquently pointed out! While we don't all have time to do it, I try and make most of my own food and freeze portions, then I know what is in it (or NOT in it in the case of bad stuff).

Thanks for reminding us the true and basics!

Warmly,

Ducky

   
    
momjan
on 3/17/14 12:59 pm - Canada

Thanks Ducky.

Looks like we are twins....my surgery was Mar `10 and I have lost almost the same amount of weight as you!  Good to see  surgery relative doing well!!!

 

 

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