Every day, grocery store aisles are lined with shoppers trying to buy the healthiest food possible. However, what many consumers don’t realize is that the fancy labels on their favourite foods don’t always tell the entire story.
We accept labels such as “naturally sweetened," “no trans fat," and “low fat" to mean what they say. However, that’s not always the case. We need to know – what exactly do these labels mean?
Unless you are a doctor or a nutritionist, it’s nearly impossible to shop with confidence knowing that what you buy is as healthy as it sounds. When it is something as critical as food – the very source of all our health and energy – we need to actually know what we’re eating.
To understand some of the most popular terms consumers see on a daily basis, Chill spoke with Toronto’s NOSH Nutrition, Registered Dietician and Nutrition Consultant, Sarah Coulson, BSc., RD.
From Concentrate
When you see the terms ‘from concentrate,’ ‘concentrated,’ or ‘condensed’ on liquid products, it is simply stating that a substantial amount of water has been removed from the product, like juice and condensed milk, states the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
“There is a misconception that from concentrate products are not as healthy as those that are not from concentrate," Coulson explains. “When it comes down to it, the differences are negligible. If the product started at 100 percent juice and was then concentrated, it will end up at 100 percent juice once the water is added back in."
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