Reading nutrition labels can be overwhelming, but understanding them doesn’t have to be complicated.
Whether you’re trying to make healthier choices or just want to understand what you’re eating, here’s the top three things to watch out for (in about 15 seconds) on nutrition labels:
- Added sugar – Any amount of added sugar is typically a sign to put that item back on the shelf and look for something else. Sugar is high in calories while being devoid of vitamins, minerals, or fiber. It contributes to spikes in your blood sugar, overproduction of insulin, and, over the long term, higher risk of undesired weight gain and chronic disease.
- Lack of protein – Any time we are eating, we want protein to be a significant part of the meal or snack. If something has no protein in it, make sure you have a plan to get your protein in alongside that item – or choose something else.
- Long ingredient list w/ chemicals – A long list of ingredients with chemicals you don’t recognize is typically a sign of a highly processed product with low nutritional value that isn’t exactly real food.
Those are the top flags to watch out for, which means when something has 0g added sugar, has significant protein, and a simple ingredient list of foods we recognize, those are great signs!
Bonus tip of the day: you can avoid the nutrition label dilemma by eating primarily fresh whole foods that don’t come with a nutrition label. Check out the Reverb Grocery Guide (on our website) to see where to start. They’re more nutritious, filling, and support stable energy and high performance without unwanted weight gain.
Double bonus tip: A nutritional assessment is included when you talk to a coach at Reverb during a free intro meeting (and during a Goal Review check-in if you’re a member). Take the guesswork away and be sure about what the best next step is to improve YOUR nutrition from where you currently are today!
What’s the biggest question you still have about nutrition?
Dean
info@crossfitreverb.net