Wellness@Work : How to interpret nutrition labels

By Robert Israel, M.D.
USA Health Integrative Health and Wellness

Understanding nutrition labels is important for helping you make better choices, whether you have specific dietary needs, you are managing a health condition or just trying to manage or maintain your weight.

Nutrition labels provide detailed information about what is in food, including calories, fat, sugar, sodium, protein, vitamins, and minerals. This helps you make healthier choices based on your dietary needs.

If you have conditions like diabetes, hypertension, or food allergies, nutrition labels are critical in managing your intake of sugar, salt, and allergens.

Labels also specify serving sizes, which help people avoid overeating by understanding how much they are actually consuming. Tracking calories and nutrients through labels can support weight loss or maintenance goals.

When reading food ingredient labels, here are the key things to look for to make informed and healthy choices:

• Ingredient order. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. Typically, the first few ingredients make up the bulk of the product. Watch out if sugar, syrups, or refined grains are among the first ingredients.
• Added sugar. Look for terms such as sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, dextrose, maltose, agave, honey, molasses. Multiple sugar sources can be used to avoid listing "sugar" as the first ingredient (which is known as sugar splitting).
• Fats. Look for products with healthy fats: olive oil, avocado oil, nuts, and seed oils. Avoid or limit: partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) and excessive saturated fats (often found in processed snacks).
• Sodium (salt). Processed foods can be very high in sodium. Watch for: monosodium glutamate (MSG), disodium phosphate, and sodium nitrate/nitrite.
• Preservatives and additives. Common ones to monitor: BHT, BHA, sodium benzoate, artificial colors (e.g., Red 40), and artificial sweeteners: aspartame, sucralose, saccharin.
• Allergens. Look for any allergen warnings (e.g., "contains soy, wheat, milk, peanuts"). Be cautious with terms like "natural flavors" if you have sensitivities—they are often proprietary mixtures.
• Whole vs. refined ingredients. Choose products with whole grains instead of “enriched” or “refined” flours, and real food ingredients like fruits, vegetables, legumes, etc.
• Length and complexity. A long list of unrecognizable or chemical-sounding ingredients often indicates a highly processed product. If an ingredient sounds like a chemical, consider putting it back on the shelf, and if there are more than five ingredients listed on the label, read carefully.

How can you lead a longer, better life? Follow weekly Wellness@Work tips from USA Health Integrative Health and Wellness. We cover ways you can eat better, move better, be more mindful, and find more balance to support your optimal health and well-being. Learn more at https://www.usahealthsystem.com/wellness.