SexyDiabetic.com

When it comes to food labels be careful of what you read.  Not everything is stated correctly or is representative of the product you may purchase.  For example….Just because a food label states it may be “sugar-free” doesn’t mean there isn’t a substitute sweetener.  ”Sugar-Free” means no granulated sugar only.  Read further for more examples…

What is the meaning of “Natural foods” and “Organic Foods?”

Believe it or not there is a difference. Organic food refers to food items that are produced, manufactured and handled using organic means defined by certifying bodies such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) under its Organic Food Products Act.The term organic is the only one regulated by the government of the United States.

Natural foods refer to food items that are not altered chemically or synthesized in any form. These are derived from plants and animals. Thus a natural food item is not necessarily organic nor are they regulated by the government.  So you have to depend on the supplier to be trustworthy with their product.

There have been several different definitions given in regards to the terms natural and organic.

The other definitions are not really official. I suppose anyone can develop their own definition, so don’t take these as written in stone.

• “Certified Organic: The product has been produced according to the National Organic Program’s rule and certified to be in compliance with the rule by an independent , USDA accredited certifier.”
• “Organic, not certified: Only producers who raise less than $5,000 worth of products per year are eligible to label products “organic”without being certified. They still must play by the rules, and their products can not be used in foods that are labeled with the USDA seal.”
• “Natural: The product contains no artificial ingredients or added colors and is only minimally processed (in a way that does not fundamentally alter the raw product). The label must explain the use of the term natural (such as ’no artificial colorings or artificial ingredients’).”
• “Free Range: Usually applied to poultry, this term means any livestock raised with unlimited access to the outdoors.”
• “Grass-fed: Grass-fed animals (usually cattle or milk cows) are those that eat only what they were designed to eat: grasses.Organic regulations do not require grass-feeding exclusively.”

There is a problem with natural foods not having a means of accreditation. There still is no independent organization involved in its regulation.

Because of this, it makes it more difficult for purchasers to spot a genuinely natural food with all natural claims. This makes it so very important to read labels on food boxes or containers when it is claimed to be natural.

The FDA also regulates the use of certain words or phrases on food packaging. Before May 8, 1994, a food product claiming to be “light” could just be light in color, texture or taste.

But now such creative–and often misleading–labeling jargon is regulated. Terms used on the new food labels must adhere to the following FDA definitions:

Light - Means that the food has half the fat, one-third the calories or half the salt of its regular counterpart. It can still be used to describe other properties like color or texture as long as the label makes the distinction clear (for example, “light brown sugar” or “light and fluffy”).

Fat-Free or Sugar-Free – Indicates that none of the substance cited (or only a negligible amount) is in the product. For instance, a calorie-free product must have fewer than five calories per serving, while fat-free and cholesterol-free foods should have less than half a gram per serving. Related words, such as “without,” “no” and “zero,” must meet the same standards. For example, suppose a food is labeled 95 percent “fat-free.” This means that five percent of the total weight of the food is fat, (which may not seem like much), yet a single gram of fat contains nine calories compared to four calories in a gram of protein or carbohydrates.

Fresh – Means unprocessed, uncooked, unfrozen (for example, fresh or freshly-squeezed orange juice). Washing and coating of fruits and vegetables are allowed. If a food has been quickly frozen, it can be described as fresh-frozen, which is commonly done with fresh fish.

Healthy – Means the food may contain no more than 3 grams of fat (including one gram of saturated fat) and 60 milligrams of cholesterol per serving.

High – As in high-fiber, means the product has 20 percent or more of the daily value for the nutrient cited.

Good Source – Indicates that one serving of the food contains 10 to 19 percent of the daily value for a particular nutrient.

Lean – Can be used to describe the fat content of meat, poultry and seafood. To be called “lean,” a serving of the product must have less than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol. “Extra lean” has also been defined to mean less than 5 grams of fat, less than 2 grams of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol.

Less and fewer – Can be used to describe foods that have a nutrient or calorie content which is reduced by at least 25 percent.

Low Fat - May be used on products that do not exceed the dietary guidelines for fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium or calories. The criteria they must meet are:

Low-fat: 3 grams or less per serving
Low-saturated fat: 1 gram or less per serving
Low-sodium: 140 milligrams or less per serving
Low-cholesterol: 20 milligrams or less of cholesterol and 2 grams or less of saturated fat per serving
Low-calorie: 40 calories or less per serving

Natural flavors - The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act defines “natural flavors” as: “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating, or enzymolysis, which contains a flavoring constituent derived from a spice, fruit, fruit juice, vegetable, vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf, or similar plant material; meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional. This broad definition simply means that “natural flavors” are extracts from these non-synthetic foods.

Reduced – Means that a nutritionally altered product contains at least 25 percent less of a nutrient or of calories than the regular product.