It pays to check the label

MANILA, Philippines –  When buying food items, there’s something more important you should be going for than just the price, the taste, the fancy packaging, or even the face of your favorite celebrity. To better understand the contents of the food that you are buying in relation to your health, you should practice this one healthy shopping habit: Check the label  flip to the back of the packaging and scan the nutrition table and ingredients list.

Be on the lookout for controlled ingredients  especially these four alarming items that are designated as public health sensitive ingredients, because they have bad consequences for your health when taken excessively.

• Trans-fat. They give food the desirable taste and

extend their shelf life, but excessive intake increases the body’s cholesterol level, a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. They come from hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils commonly used in fried foods. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting the amount of trans-fats to less than one percent of total daily calories, so it’s best to always be on the lookout for this ingredient in the nutrition list.

• Saturated fat. This one also increases bad cholesterol level. This is found in animal products like red meat, eggs, and dairy products like cheese, ice cream, whole-milk, and butter. A 2003 National Nutritional Survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute found that about 8.5 percent of adult Filipinos suffer from high blood cholesterol levels.

• Sodium. It helps the body regulate blood pressure and volume, and is also critical for nerve and muscle functions. Too much of it, though, may lead to high blood pressure. It is found in table salt, baking soda, various seasonings, additives, condiments, meat, fish, poultry and dairy foods like eggs, smoked meats, olives, and pickled foods. WHO says that the recommended daily sodium intake for adults is only 2,400 mg, just slightly more than a teaspoon of table salt, so it’s best to always check the label for this. 

• Sugar. It provides energy, but too much could lead to obesity. The WHO-recommended amount of sugar for adults is only 50 grams, or about 10 teaspoons. By checking the label of, say, a chocolate bar, you can know how much sugar you actually ingest with it.

The nutrition label informs you of the actual amounts of these ingredients. The label also tells you the amount of beneficial nutrients you are getting for optimum health. Milk products, for example, have varying amounts of calcium across brands. A quick comparison of their nutrition labels will reveal that one brand  Nesvita Pro-Bone Protection from Nestlé  has the three-point nutritional advantage over others.

It is the only one with calcilock, a breakthrough combination of essential bone-building nutrients that include calcium, vitamin D, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin C. This unique combination of nutrients helps the body absorb, deposit, and retain the calcium in the bones, by effectively locking it into them.

Nesvita Pro-Bone Protection milk is also low in fat and suitable for people with diabetes. It also does not use hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Moreover, it tastes better and costs less than other leading milk brands.

Each 30g serving  the equivalent of three tablespoons in one glass of water  packs in 600mg of calcium, which is already 80 percent of an adult’s recommended intake.

“On the positive side, checking the nutritional label in products helps consumers gain better awareness of what ingredients work best for their health advantage,” says Trina Abola-Neri, consumer marketing manager for Nesvita. “Our commitment lies not just in providing quality food products to our consumers but also in adhering to the nutritional standards and guidelines of local and international organizations such as the WHO.”