What is the main thing you check labels for?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

What is the First Thing You Check on Nutrition Labels?

  • Fat

    Votes: 1 5.6%
  • Cholesterol

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Sodium

    Votes: 9 50.0%
  • Carbohydrate

    Votes: 5 27.8%
  • Sugar

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Fiber

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Protein

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other (Please specify below)

    Votes: 3 16.7%

  • Total voters
    18
Now that there is funny :LOL:

"What a long strange trip it's been" to quote The Grateful Dead. The low fat is uppermost with sodium running a close second. I'm not paying the high price for Lipitor to mess it up by eating high fat foods.

I have noticed in my blood pressures how sodium sensitive I am...kinda scary.
 
I could see a how sodium should win. Most freezer foods I find are real high in sodium. Soups, and any dry snacks I buy are also high. It's so hard to make everything fresh though.
 
As I said, I look at other things as well. Someone mentioned high fructose corn syrup--that is one I look for too. It is amazing how many things they put that in now. I also look at the origin of the product, as LAJ does.

I agree with Andy, what I look for often depends on what the product is. And, like Andy, I look to see how much of something is in a product. I'm glad they started listing the ingredients ranked from the highest content to lowest.

I always check the labels of anything that says low-fat or reduced fat, to see what they are replacing the fat with. Usually it is sugar. I am trying to reduce the sodium in my diet, but I hate the flavor of "No Salt Added" canned vegetables. They just taste flat to me. I either buy fresh, frozen, or regular canned.

:)Barbara
 
When I did check, in the past, it was for overall calories. But when my husband was diagnosed as being diabetic, I had to start looking at the carb counts. 30 each for breakfast and lunch, 60 for supper. Snacks, I think, are 15, several times a day, but I don't look at that, I just buy fruit and let him figure out how much. It is a big frustration for me to have to compare several products and wind up with ounces, grams, cups, pieces, slices, etc. I'll be trying to figure out which is the best but then have a ridiculous math problem and just give up.
 
When I did check, in the past, it was for overall calories. But when my husband was diagnosed as being diabetic, I had to start looking at the carb counts. 30 each for breakfast and lunch, 60 for supper. Snacks, I think, are 15, several times a day, but I don't look at that, I just buy fruit and let him figure out how much. It is a big frustration for me to have to compare several products and wind up with ounces, grams, cups, pieces, slices, etc. I'll be trying to figure out which is the best but then have a ridiculous math problem and just give up.

My exasperation comes from doing the right thing for my diabetic and finding him eating a banana with 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup on it! Chocolate syrup that I didn't buy!
 
I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about the amount of sodium that is used in foods, be they restaurant or packaged. I firmly believe that our taste buds become acclimated to the stuff, so more and more is needed to achieve that "seasoned" flavor.
(Has anyone noticed Anne Burrells salt bucket on her counter in her show????)
So, of course sodium is what I check first....

but what I mostly check is comparing store and generic items to name brands. As far
as I am concerned, if they have the same ingredients in the same order there's no reason to buy the more expensive one... with a few exceptions of course.
 
I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about the amount of sodium that is used in foods, be they restaurant or packaged. I firmly believe that our taste buds become acclimated to the stuff, so more and more is needed to achieve that "seasoned" flavor.
(Has anyone noticed Anne Burrells salt bucket on her counter in her show????)
So, of course sodium is what I check first....

but what I mostly check is comparing store and generic items to name brands. As far
as I am concerned, if they have the same ingredients in the same order there's no reason to buy the more expensive one... with a few exceptions of course.
I agree, on all counts!
 
I check for preservatives first, and for any aluminum derivatives. Then I check the fat content.

I have to be honest, I look at the label of everything I buy and some stuff isn't worth my hard earned cash.

Same hear. Every now and then I check the ingredients on stuff that I buy regularly. You never know when they are going to start adding something weird - natamycin (an antibiotic) in cheese, microcrystalline cellulose in cream, etc.
 
First the net weight, to evaluate the value of the product. Second the sodium content. If it is too high I don't even look at other ingredients.
 
As I said, I look at other things as well. Someone mentioned high fructose corn syrup--that is one I look for too. It is amazing how many things they put that in now. I also look at the origin of the product, as LAJ does.

I agree with Andy, what I look for often depends on what the product is. And, like Andy, I look to see how much of something is in a product. I'm glad they started listing the ingredients ranked from the highest content to lowest.

I always check the labels of anything that says low-fat or reduced fat, to see what they are replacing the fat with. Usually it is sugar. I am trying to reduce the sodium in my diet, but I hate the flavor of "No Salt Added" canned vegetables. They just taste flat to me. I either buy fresh, frozen, or regular canned.

:)Barbara


I love them. Back in the day we used to cook down canned salt added green beans with bacon????? Now I just heat the no salt green beans sprinkled with Lemon Pepper. As far as the tomatoes, they taste like fresh to me. In a pinch I use them well drained in place of fresh (don't have or winter tomaotes are not good) on Tacos, dips ect. I would buy all canned unsalted vegetables if I could find them in my local stores. My suggestion to you is to experiement with different spices with the salt free products.:chef:
 
I love them. Back in the day we used to cook down canned salt added green beans with bacon????? Now I just heat the no salt green beans sprinkled with Lemon Pepper. As far as the tomatoes, they taste like fresh to me. In a pinch I use them well drained in place of fresh (don't have or winter tomaotes are not good) on Tacos, dips ect. I would buy all canned unsalted vegetables if I could find them in my local stores. My suggestion to you is to experiement with different spices with the salt free products.:chef:
Good idea. :cool:
 
I tend to buy store brands when I first move someplace new, then either continue to buy them (if I like) or go back to "name brands" if not (for example some places I've lived the canned green beans had a lot of stems and strings; on the other hand, when living in Florida, the Publix brand of same were far better than any name brand).
 
Back
Top Bottom