Have you seen and heard before; food labels claiming to contain real fruit and vegetables. These labels make you think that you eat something healthy and nutritious. The untrained person can decipher when they were fooled and often end up with junk food, sugary products. Food companies are extremely smart and spend billions of dollars in marketing persuasive in order to deceive consumers into buying these fake products. Grocery stores and food commercials are rampant with these devious assertions. While the FDA regulates some food label claims, supporting a product contains real fruit or vegetables has not yet been included in the regulation.
So how can you avoid being fooled? The best way to get the daily intake of real fruits and vegetables is to eat the real thing. Here are some tips on maximizing your fruit and vegetable intake:
• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables by the colors of the Rainbow. Each color represents different vitamins and minerals that are essential for good health-so eat!
• Aim for at least 5 cups of fruits and vegetables per day (and fries don't count!)
• Store fruits and vegetables in the open where you can see them. Cut slices of fruit and vegetables and place containers in a visible spot in the fridge.
• If you can't get your 5 cups daily, buy pre-cut or pre-packaged, fruits and vegetables. It may cost a bit more, but your health is worth it!
• Add fruits and vegetables to all that is possible! Stuff them in your sandwiches and add them to your main dish, both cooked and raw!
• Use fruits and vegetables as ingredients. Try the unsweetened Apple juice in place of oil in fat-free cooking recipes. Add the cooked vegetables puree to thicken soups or stews.
If you're still interested in getting your fruits and vegetables through other types of food, here's how to determine if the food contains the real thing or not. One of the first three ingredients listed should be fruit: fresh fruit, fruit puree, dried fruits, fruit juice or fruit concentrate. On the contrary, there is no real fruit if the label indicates natural fruit aroma, flavors artificial fruit or fruit pigments.
As regards juices, the label should say "real fruit juice." Beware of juice labels that use the word "drink" instead of "juice". However, juices are not needed. It is better to eat the same fruit and a little ice water to quench your thirst. Juices can be a good source of some vitamins, although they can also be high in sugars and low in fiber.
Some other things to keep in mind:
- Potato chips are not the best way to eat potatoes. Chips are made from potatoes, but are prepared for cooking in oil. They are rich in fat and salt-so save those chips for a very special occasion!
- Fruit bars are high in sugar. Although the fruit bars usually contain some fruit, are low in fiber and contain high amounts of sugar and calories. Actually they stick to the teeth and can also cause dental caries.
- Dried fruit leathers, dried fruit and cereals can be misleading. It is important to pay attention to the ingredients or you can end up with high-sugar products. For example, fruit roll ups are loaded with lots of corn syrup, while the raisins in raisin bran is covered with sugar. It is preferable to opt for 100% Bran Flakes and add the raisins. While dried fruit sold on their own can be a healthier option as usually retain most of their nutritional value, sometimes they can also be coated with sugar to make it sweeter.
Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins and minerals that are essential for healthy and fresh products provides more nutritional value. Incorporating fruits and vegetables in meals is an obstacle for many. Choose the real thing is even better. However, knowing how to decode food labels also will make a difference. Make small changes over time and see what tips and tricks do work for your lifestyle.