Look out for the labels
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No comments [ Add Comment ]By Becky Wright
Standard-Examiner staff
bwright@standard.net
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With so many items and brands to choose from in the supermarket, it's great that products come with helpful labels such as "natural" and "reduced sodium" -- or is it?
"I think the food manufacturers are trying to sell more food, and that's where a lot of labeling comes from," said Kimberly Lord Stewart.
Stewart is the author of "Eating Between the Lines," (St. Martin's Griffin, $14.95). In the new book, Stewart explains what labels found on foods in the grocery store really mean.
Produce
"In the produce department, you have two primary choices: organic or conventionally grown," said Stewart.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture Web site, to earn the USDA Certified Organic seal, produce must be grown without conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, and bioengineering or ionizing radiation. And the farm must be inspected by an authorized agent.
Other labels to look for include "Certified Naturally Grown," a nongovernment certification for smaller farms based on USDA standards, and "Demeter Certified Biodynamic," which goes beyond the basics of organic production to include sustainable farming practices.
Stewart says the main reason most people want to buy organic is because it has lower levels of pesticide residues.
"Some people, particularly people on a budget, feel a little guilt-ridden when they can't afford to buy organically," she said by phone from her home in Colorado.
If you can't afford to buy all organic, Stewart suggests going organic with foods that typically have higher pesticide residues: apples, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, pears, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, celery, potatoes, spinach, bell peppers and winter lettuce.
The code on the small stickers on individual produce can help consumers determine if the food is organic. Stickers on conventional produce have four digits, usually starting with a 3 or 4; organic produce stickers have five digits, starting with the number 9.
Meat
"Natural" is a term to watch out for on meat labels.
"People like to use that as a buzzword -- for some reason, it makes food seem better for you, or safer," said Claudia Gale, food labeling specialist for Utah's Department of Agriculture and Food
"Natural" and "organic" have almost the same connotation to shoppers, but not to the USDA.
"According to the USDA, it ("natural") means that it's minimally processed, and no additives or preservatives were placed in the meat after it was processed," said Stewart. "It has nothing to do with how the animal was raised."
The term "naturally raised" means what you would think it does -- the animal wasn't given antibiotics, hormones or animal byproducts in its food. "But it isn't regulated yet by the USDA; it's in a discussion period," Stewart said.
To qualify for the USDA organic certification, meat must come from animals that receive 100 percent organic feed, and receive no hormones, no antibiotics and no exposure to synthetic pesticides.
Pork and poultry haven't been allowed to contain added hormones or steroids since the 1950s, said Stewart, so if you're paying extra for poultry or pork because the label says "no added hormones or steroids," you should stop.
What you do want to watch for in poultry or pork is antibiotic use, according to Stewart.
"In poultry, antibiotics are used as a growth enhancer to increase the size of the chicken and to prevent disease," she said.
The worry is that antibiotic use in animals is adding to problems with antibiotic resistance in humans.
Eggs
In egg labeling, Stewart says, the biggest worry is over whether the chickens were caged or cage-free. If that's an issue with you, look for the "Certified Humane" label from Humane Farm Animal Care, or "Free Farmed Certified" from the American Humane Association.
Labels may not mean what you think, Stewart warns. "Cage-free" and "free-roaming" hens could still be kept in an enclosed building.
Again, if you're worried about antibiotic use in hens, look for the USDA Organic or Demeter Certified Biodynamic labels.
"Additive-free" and "natural" are meaningless claims when it comes to eggs, Stewart writes. The USDA considers all eggs additive-free and natural unless they've been pasteurized or irradiated.
Fish
Most labels in the fish section have to do with eco-friendly practices and mercury levels.
Marine Stewardship Council and Dolphin-Safe Tuna labels are good guides, Stewart says in her book, as is the Best Aquaculture Practices Certified label.
A Safe Harbor label means seafood has been tested for mercury, and levels are among the lowest for the species. Another label, Seafood Safe, features a number that tells how many four-ounce portions the average consumer can eat each month without ingesting harmful levels of contaminants.
Dairy
About 30 percent of dairy farmers use bovine growth hormone to increase milk production, according to Stewart.
"There's no science that shows the milk is any different," Stewart said. "One study shows women who drank milk from cows treated with BGH had a higher incidence of twins, but it was a small study."
The USDA Organic label means the cows weren't given antibiotics, hormones or exposed to pesticides.
Other labels to look for in the dairy case: "Real" means cheese was made from U.S. milk and contains no oils, casein or fillers; yogurt should have a "Live & Active Cultures" label.
Grains and snacks
A lot of products announce they're "trans fat free."
"Don't be misled by the label on the front of the box," Stewart warns. "They can say they're trans fat free, if they have less than a half-gram of trans fat per serving. So if you're eating more than the recommended serving size, or eat it several times a day, you may be getting too much."
If you see the word "hydrogenated," it has trans fats, she said.
Stewart uses the "five-gram rule" to shop for healthy cereals.
"Five or more grams of fiber, five grams of protein and five or less grams of sugar, and you can't go wrong," she said.
Canned food
When a can of fruit or vegetables indicates it's "freshly cut," it probably was. Most produce is canned (or frozen) at a facility next to the farm, within 24 hours, to keep costs down.
The biggest ingredient to watch for, Stewart says, is sodium.
"For example, a soup in the canned food aisle that says it's 'healthy' allows for as much as 480 milligrams of sodium per serving. If you see 'reduced sodium,' that just means it has 25 percent less than the original product," she explained. "Look for 'low sodium,' which is only 140 milligrams."
