Food Labels and Healthy Snack Options
When it comes to what snacks or even foods to eat, always look at the nutrition label certifications and ingredients.
There are various choices in grocery stores, so there is no excuse for the inability to find one that fits you. You need to watch out for their marketing and what they promote.
Food Labels Explained
Organic
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Certified Naturally Grown
The food was grown using the same standards as those for organic, but not on a farm certified by the USDA’s National Organic Program.
Some farmers have criticized the cost and process they need to participate in the USDA’s organic program.
It is an alternative, non-governmental certification system where other farmers act as inspectors in a program administered by a non-profit organization called Certified Naturally Grown.
 “Natural” is a term present in many food products, so look closely at the label. The Certified Naturally Grown title indicates that someone certifies that it is natural, rather than just using “Natural” for marketing purposes.
Fair Trade
Fair Trade USA enforces fair trade standards. Fairtrade products must be produced in accordance with the following guidelines: Workers must receive fair wages, safe and equitable working conditions, and the right to join trade unions; child or forced labor is completely prohibited.
Crops must also be grown, produced, and processed in a manner that supports social development, economic development, and environmental development.
Fairtrade standards have been established for coffee, tea, cocoa, honey, bananas, juices, cotton, flowers, gold, rice, spices and herbs, sports balls, wine, composite products, fresh fruit, and sugar.Â
Animal Welfare Approved
Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) is a division of the non-profit organization Animal Welfare Institute that started in 2006.
Its standards cover the way it’s participating farms raise their animals (including beef and dairy cattle, bison, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and rabbits).
AWA states that the basic premise of their standards is that animals must be able to behave naturally and be in a state of physical and psychological well-being.
They only certify family farms (charging no fees to participating farmers) and state that animals must be raised on pasture or range.
American Humane Certified
The American Humane Certified program was created by the American Humane Association in 2000 to ensure that animals raised for dairy, poultry, beef, veal, goat, swine, turkey, and bison products are raised in a humane manner.
These guidelines, created with input from animal science experts, ensure that livestock has access to clean and sufficient food and water.
It also checks the healthy living environment and that staff and managers are thoroughly trained to care for animals in a humane manner.
Non-GMO Project Verified
The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization that provides the only third-party labeling program in North America for products grown without using genetic engineering.
They verify that the process products go through, from seed to shelf, are produced according to their rigorous best practices for GMO avoidance.
Grassfed
USDA has a grass-fed standard for ruminant animals like cows and goats, which states that these animals must be fed only grass and forage during the growing season.
The American Grassfed Association is one organization that certifies beef, bison, dairy, lamb, and goat that is fed only on pasture, in addition to being raised without antibiotics, synthetic hormones, confinement, and with standards for high animal welfare.
Other animals, like chickens and pigs, can be pasture-raised (and USDA organic standards require at least some access to pasture).
Still, there are currently no specific certification standards for non-ruminant animals being grass-fed or pastured.
Non-Certified Food Labels
The following nutrition labels depend on farmer and processor information to support the claim that the food products were raised in compliance with each set of standards.
They do not go through third-party testing or certification. They do have certain standards they must prove.Â
Hormone-free/RBGH free
This label means that the farmer has chosen not to inject his or her cows with any artificial growth hormones, like rBGH, a genetically engineered growth hormone.
The nutrition labels are also used on beef and chicken products, where the animal was raised without growth hormones or steroids.
However, the USDA prohibits giving hormones to chickens, so the label doesn’t mean much there — all chicken you buy will be hormone-free whether it’s labeled or not.
Hormones are not allowed in raising hogs or poultry. Therefore, the claim “no hormones added” cannot be used on the labels of pork or poultry unless it is followed by a statement that says, “Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones.
Raised without antibiotics
Chickens, pigs, and cattle raised on industrial farms are routinely fed low doses of antibiotics (the same drugs we rely on to keep ourselves and our families in good health) to make them grow faster and compensate for overcrowding and unsanitary living conditions.
This label states the meat or dairy was raised without the use of antibiotics.
The following are not certified or tested by any third-party regulatory agency and do not have a set of standards:
All-natural
While many products have “all-natural” nutrition labels or packaging, there is no universal standard or definition for this claim.
Free-range
Free-range poultry is poultry that spends part of its time outside and does not live in cages. These could be chickens, turkeys, or ducks. The USDA does not have a legal definition of free-range.
Thus, free-range chicken eggs, beef, or pork are not regulated.
Healthy Snack Bars
There are so many varieties of snack bars it can seem impossible to choose from. With a wide variety, there will also be a variety of healthy choices.
Some use marketing gimmicks that you should stay away from. Just because the box looks nice does not always mean it should be your choice.
While they sound healthy, always pay attention to the nutrition label certifications. It will tell you what you are actually consuming, no matter how healthy it seems.Â
Labels to Pay Attention ToÂ
Before buying food that’s packed, make sure to pay attention to the following. It will give you an idea of what you are actually putting inside your body [2].
Ingredients
This is the most important place to look in nutrition label certifications. You should always try to avoid ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, soy protein isolate, and inulin (“fake fiber”).
The first ingredient or ingredients should be whole foods like apples, bananas, dates, etc.
Protein content
Fiber
This is something the majority of people never get enough of; we are even guilty. It is important to try and get as much of it whenever you can.
It will make you feel fuller for a longer period of time. Fiber helps to regulate digestion, improve heart health, prevent type 2 diabetes, combat inflammation, and reduce your risk for cancer.
Sugar content
Beware of added sugar! Try to select a bar that doe not contain any added sugars. There is a difference between natural sugar and added sugar.
Snack bars will always have carbs and sugar because they usually come from fruit but avoid the added ones.Â
RX Bar
Lara Bar
Quest Bar
Natures Bakery
Chewy
Kind Bar
Luna
Cliff Bar
Don’t skip reading the labels. Learn more about them in this video 👇👇👇
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Introduction
2:09 Episode Introduction
2:30 Food Labels Explained
3:19 Organic
4:41 Certified Naturally Grown
7:50 Fair Trade
8:40 Animal Welfare Approved
11:59 American Humane Certified
12:20 Non-GMO Project Certified
15:34 Grassfed
18:40 Non-certified Food Labels
10:06 Hormone-free / RBGH-free
20:11 Raised without Antibiotics
20:54 All-natural
21:43 Free-range
23:30 Healthy Snack Bars
23:50 Ingredients
24:18 Protein Content
26:05 Fiber
27:02 Sugar Content
28:59 Most Popular Snack Bars