Good Lifestyle

The puffs of cheese do not come from the earth in any way, form or form, right? How could they possibly beNatural? Labels such as "natural" or "artificial" may seem quite simple, but in reality they could mean a lot of things. Some food labels are more strictly regulated than others, which leads to a lot of confusion. With the help of Maria-Paula Carrillo, M.S., R.D.N., L.D, we will help you put the grocery store guess the game to guess once and for all.

Do not give a product an automatic place in your basket just to have a good label; This term has plenty of room for misunderstanding and misinterpretation between consumers. There is no difficult and rapid definition of this one because it is not set by the FDA. "With this, FDA seems acceptable if this term is used on foods that do not contain added color, artificial flavors or synthetic substances," says Carrillo. Technically, you can print "natural" on a licorice bag without being at fault. Just know that natural does not mean healthy in all cases. "A natural" natural "food is not necessarily healthier or better for you. This affirmation is very misleading to consumers," says Carrillo. Take a look at the list of ingredients if you really want to know if what you put in your mouth comes from nature.

Although genetically modified organisms - has become more than one consumer term, most people still do not know exactly what it means. If you see a product labeled "non-GMO", it means that the ingredients used have not been modified from their natural or improved state. The term is not regulated by the government, but rather by a non-profit organization called non-GMO project. Torn by all the circulating opinions? Go with your intestine feeling on this one; Carrillo believes that eating non-GMOs should be a personal choice, adding: "The truth is that foods from genetically modified plants must meet the same safety requirements as traditional foods."

If you see artificial flavors or aromatic aromas on the box, it tilts you on how this food has its taste and, as you suppose, the flavor did not come from anything that grows in a garden. "This term refers to any aroma that is not derived from a whole source of food, such as a spice, fruit, vegetables, an edible yeast, a grass, a bark, a bud, a root, a root, A sheet or a similar plant, meat, fish, poultry and therefore, Carrillo is said. The natural and artificial flavors are made in a laboratory, but the artificial aroma is created from synthetic chemicals rather than natural. The One of the benefits of choosing natural on the artificial is that natural flavors often exist in more nutshore-dense foods.

Organic is probably the most strictly regulated label. The organic term refers to how food has been cultivated and transformed by farmers. To receive certification, the products must be produced without genetic engineering, ionizing radiation or sewage sludge, as well as the national list of authorized and prohibited substances. "Overall, if a product wants to claim that it or its ingredients are biological, it must be certified. Without certification, a product can not use the USDA organic seal or the complaint anywhere on the package to be Organic ", explains Carrillo. Eating organic definitely has its advantages. A study published in the annals of internal medicine revealed that eating organic products and meat reduces the level of intake of ingestion of pesticides and reduces your exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In addition, if you try to avoid GMOs, certified organic products are a good choice; They are not legally allowed to contain GMOs.

Products can not in any way claim to be certified organic or use the certified organic seal, unless you have achieved all the requirements, but they have a healing room. Foods can claim to be "manufactured with" organic ingredients if they contain a considerable amount. There are still rules for the use of this label, including the obligation that 70% of the product must be certified organic ingredients (excluding salt and water), underlines Carrillo. In addition, the products must identify somewhere on the package - usually in the list of ingredients via an asterisk or other brand, which ingredients are actually biological.

Food attendance must be among the most conferring data you can find on a food product. Sell ​​by? Better by? What do they mean?! For starters, the date "sell" does not really concern you that the consumer. "He tells the store how long show the product for sale," says Carrillo. You, the hungry consumer, should buy the product before the expiry date.

What will happen if I eat my spinach one day after the "best if used by" date? Will I suddenly become sick, or can I continue eating the green "expired" for a few days before I hold the keel? Carrillo ensures that this date is not a warning for security, but rather for the taste. "This is the recommended date of the best flavor or the best quality. This is not a date of purchase or security," says Carrillo.

This is the date you should pay the nearest attention. This is the last recommended date for the use of the product during advanced quality and has been determined by the product manufacturer. "If the product has a" used "date, follow this date. If the product has a date" sell-by "or a date of absence, cooked or freezes by the time recommended by the USDA," says Carrillo .