A few years ago we looked at some dangerous ingredients that show up in many food products. Since then, manufacturers seem to have directed us to the front of food packages to help guide us to healthier and more conscious eating. Though these “buzz words” are not always a guarantee of healthy food, they indicate a step in the right direction and therefore warrant a review.
VIEW HealthBit CXIX: Food Labels 101
- Non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms): This means that the ingredients used to make a product have not been sourced from any seeds that have been genetically altered in a lab
- Free Range– animals are allowed to roam freely in the outdoors, though the amount of time they are required to do so is not strictly regulated
- Cage Free– animals are free to roam within a larger housing situation, not necessarily the outdoors
- Grass Fed– animals are fed with grass, not grains, which is what nature intended
- Organic– pertains to food grown without the use of pesticides and other chemicals
- Biodynamic– these farming methods are similar to organic farming but also look at the interrelatedness of the earth and the cosmos
- Sustainably farmed– these methods focus on using the earth’s resources to meet the needs of current generations without compromising that which future generations will need
- Fair Trade– this pertains to fair compensation to those in developing nations who are providing agriculture and/or products to more developed countries
- Certified Gluten Free– this means that food does not contain- nor is produced in a facility that deals with- wheat, barley, rye or any other gluten-containing grains
- Allergy Friendly– typically indicates that foods are devoid of the Top 8 allergens (milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, soybeans, wheat, fish and shellfish), as well as produced in a facility that does not use said ingredients (note: these allergens can be identified one-by-one as well, such as Dairy Free, Peanut Free, etc.)
- Paleo Friendly– indicates foods that adhere to the standards of the Paleo Diet, and are therefore grain free and legume free, as well as free of all artificial ingredients
- Keto Certified– indicates foods that adhere to the strict guidelines of the ketogenic diet, keeping net carbohydrates low and healthy fats high