How Food Labels Can Help You Lose Weight

Obesity is increasing worldwide and is becoming the world's biggest health problem. Obesity is no longer limited to adults only - the percentage of obesity amongst children is growing at alarming rates. The skinny on obesity or being overweight is that it is no longer just a cosmetic issue. Obesity or being overweight increases the risk of serious health problems such as diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease, stroke, back and joint problems and discomfort, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, infertility, breathlessness, sleeping disorders, sweating among others.

AND ... being overweight stops us from getting the very best out of life and shortens our life by years. A report by the National Audit Office in the UK, suggested that being overweight can take off up to 9years of our lives. There are many reasons for this, but in developed countries, the easier access to over-processed diets and a less-active lifestyle play a major role.

In this article I focus on a fun, interesting and self-educating way you can cut down the amount of fatty and sugary foods (2 of the main contributing factors to obesity) in your diet. Believe it or not - it is quite easy to do. Follow my quick and easy steps and you will have a head start on your weight, health and other shoppers.

Without going into the science of the labels, if you want to lose weight and live a healthy life this is what you need to be looking at each time you buy foods that are packaged in a box, packet or can. To do a quick lesson at home on how to read labels, take out any one product from your grocery closet right now. Look for the NUTRTION FACTS food label on the box or can. You will be able to tell if your product is healthy if:

- It contains less than 4g of sugar per serving.
- The ingredients do not include corn sugar or high fructose.
- The ingredients do not include any enriched - flour products. All flours need to be wholegrain ones.
- The ingredients do not include hydrogenated, saturated fat oils or the term "transfats". If there are saturated oils, it should contain less than 4g of saturated fats per serving.

Test this on a couple more items in your pantry and determine how healthy your household is. If you are serious about losing weight and being healthy, throw away all those products that are causing harm every time you cook and eat them. Replace them with healthier options. Of course the healthiest option is to cook fresh produce only. But, if you do use processed foods, have fun with the simple food label test and read your way to weight loss. Over time it will show. It does make a difference to both your waistline and your health.

To summarize, when reading the food label on the can or box, check for the amount of sugar, fat and fiber per serving. Pay special attention to the amount of "transfats" in the product. Avoid foods that have higher than 4g or sugars or fats per serving, foods that contain corn syrup and foods that include enriched flours.

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