How to Read Food Labels: Decoding Ingredients, Sugars, and Fats in Your Food

In today’s grocery aisles, food packaging is designed to catch your eye and often, to make you feel like you’re buying something healthy. But the truth is, many “healthy” and even “organic” products can hide high amounts of sugar, unhealthy fats, and other additives behind clever marketing and confusing labels. Learning how to read food labels is one of the most empowering skills you can develop for your health. Here’s what to watch for so you can make informed choices that truly support your well-being.

The Many Names of Sugar

Sugar isn’t always labeled as “sugar.” In fact, there are over 50 different names for added sugars that manufacturers can use.

Some common examples include:

- Cane juice or evaporated cane juice

- High fructose corn syrup

- Malt syrup

- Brown rice syrup

- Agave nectar

- Dextrose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, lactose

- Fruit juice concentrate

Even “natural” sweeteners can spike blood sugar when overconsumed. This is why reading both the ingredient list and the “Added Sugars” section of the Nutrition Facts panel is so important.

The Truth About Fats

Fats are not the enemy, but not all fats are created equal.  Healthy fats can be found in avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, fatty fish. Unhealthy fats are contained in partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats), refined vegetable oils (soybean, corn, canola, cottonseed), and heavily processed margarines.  Trans fats are now banned in many places, but manufacturers sometimes use small loopholes. If a label says “0g trans-fat” but still lists “partially hydrogenated oil” in the ingredients, it’s best to avoid it.

Watch Out for Sneaky Marketing Terms

Some terms sound great on a package but don’t always mean the product is healthy:

• Natural: not regulated for most products; may still contain additives

• Multigrain: could mean multiple types of refined grains, not necessarily whole grains

• Light or Lite:  may refer to color, flavor, or reduced fat, but could be high in sugar

• No added sugar:  can still be high in naturally occurring sugars

• Organic: can still contain large amounts of sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats

Tips for Smarter Label Reading

1. Start with the ingredients list, not the marketing claims on the front.

2. Check serving sizes — packages often contain more than one serving.

3. Look for added sugars in both grams and % Daily Value.

4. Aim for whole food ingredients you recognize and can pronounce.

5. Compare similar products to find the option with less sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats.

Bottom Line

Food companies are skilled at making products look healthier than they are. By learning how to decode food labels, you take back control over your food choices and your health.

Ready to Master the Art of Reading Food Labels?

Join our Decoding Food Labels Online Course!

Become a Label Sleuth Detective spotting hidden sugars, unhealthy fats, and misleading marketing claims so you can shop with confidence and have powerful tools to protect your health. Check out the detective adventure here.

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