The list of ingredients on the nutrition label (2)

By Alana Marrero González, LND, MHSN

Note: This is the second in a series of four articles on the importance of understanding this educational tool. See the first one here.

Understanding and knowing all the parts of the nutrition label will give you the tools you need to choose foods based on nutritional intelligence. The power of knowledge will help you make wise decisions about your diet and healthy habits.

We have already discussed the main components of the nutrition label, but after the nutrition label, processed products must include a list of ingredients. This section will tell you the amount of nutrients present in the product. A good tip is to understand the order, in rice and beans. The list of ingredients always goes from highest to lowest, which tells us that the first ingredient listed is the one found in the highest proportion.

So, if sugar is listed as the first ingredient on a package of cookies, it basically tells us that we will be consuming a sugar cookie. On the other hand, if wheat flour is the first ingredient listed on a package of whole wheat bread, it means that the amount of white flour is high and the food is not as whole wheat as the package may claim.

The list of ingredients on the label also includes additives. These can be colorings, gums, emulsifiers, and sweeteners used by the food industry. They often appear as names that are difficult to pronounce and sometimes include numbers.

Food additives

Food additives are ingredients added to products to maintain or improve their safety, freshness, flavor, texture, or appearance. There is currently much concern about the use of additives in food; some have been linked to the development of various health problems, which is why more natural and healthier alternatives that can fulfill these functions are being sought.

The best-known food additives are:

1. Colorants:

In the case of artificial colors, there is concern about their consumption, as they have been linked to hyperactivity in children, so it is best to avoid foods that contain them. The main artificial colors used in the food industry are: yellow No. 5 or tartrazine (E102); yellow No. 6, sunset yellow or sunset yellow (E110) and red No. 40.

A healthier option is to choose products that contain natural colorants. The main ones are: paprika or red pepper (E160c), turmeric (E100), betanin or beetroot powder (E162), achiote or onoto (E160b), carmine or cochineal extract (E120), lycopene (E160d), caramel color (E150), anthocyanins (E163), saffron, and chlorophyllin (E140).

2. Sweeteners:

These popular substances are used in many products, mainly as a substitute for cane sugar. It is important to read the list of ingredients carefully because they can be found under different names: acesulfame K, aspartame, saccharin, sorbitol, sucralose, stevia, and xylitol. Be aware that there are natural sweeteners such as stevia, which is obtained from the Stevia rebaudiana Bertonies plant and, according to some scientific studies, could be a good alternative to artificial sweeteners. However, most products use it in combination with a sweetener that is NOT natural, so at the end of the day, you are not consuming the natural sweetener.

3. Condoms:

Preservatives are substances added to food to minimize spoilage caused by the presence of different types of microorganisms. Among the best known are nitrates and nitrites, used mainly in the preservation of smoked meats and sausages to prevent the growth of dangerous microorganisms, as well as giving them a salty taste and their characteristic red color. These preservatives have been linked to cancer because they may increase the risk of developing it under certain conditions.

Nitrites and nitrates can be identified on the nutrition label as sodium nitrate (E251), sodium nitrite (E250), potassium nitrate (E252), or potassium nitrite (E249).

Another well-known preservative is sodium benzoate (E211), which is used to inhibit the growth of microorganisms in acidic foods such as soft drinks, bottled lemon juice, pickles, jelly, salad dressings, soy sauce, and other condiments. This ingredient has been linked to cancer, inflammation, and hyperactivity in children.

It is important to stay up to date and seek science-based information about the ingredients in the products we use. If you have any questions, consult your dietitian or healthcare professional. In the next article, we will learn how to compare labels and identify those that are most suitable for people who need to watch their sodium intake.