Organic, Natural etc - Understanding Food Labels

When you head to the grocery store, shopping for products like eggs, meat, fish, milk, and produce can be very tricky. Signs are posted everywhere labeling food as natural, organic, and a number of other things—but what’s the difference, really? Learning what specific names mean can help you decide if you should shell out extra money on a product or if its simply a marketing ploy.

Natural is a term associated with a number of fruit and vegetable products. Typically, this is simply a marketing ploy to convince you to buy the product. After all, all fruits and vegetables are natural, right? Unless it’s a new kind of food that has been developed and processed, the product is natural. What you really probably want is organic. Organic foods are grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

There are two main benefits to organic foods. First, you are helping the environment because those chemicals are not being introduced into nature. Secondly, you are avoiding ingesting chemicals and are therefore eating more healthy foods. However, organic products are usually more expensive. If you’re on a budget, skip over organic fruits and vegetables that you can peel, like oranges and bananas. After all, once you’ve discarded the peel, you’ve also discarded the chemicals. Instead, opt for organic items like apples, where you eat the peel. No matter what you buy, however, make sure that you rinse off the food when you get home.

Another tricky label you will see is “no hormones.” This is usually in regards to milk or meat products and is false, since all animals naturally produce hormones. Hormones are what helps an animal (even a human) regulate body organs, have young, and otherwise function. All meat products have hormones. What the labels really mean is that no hormones were unnaturally given to the animal, which is sometimes done to increase milk production. Regardless of hormones, however, the milk and meat is safe for a person and not a violation of an animal’s rights.

Lastly, a label on eggs and meat can indicate if the animal was caged or penned. This does not make a difference in the quality or nutritional value of the meat, but is simply a matter of animal rights. These products may be a bit more expensive, but if you want to make human decisions, that is the way to go. Reading the label and making healthy choices can sometimes be difficult, but learning how to do so can help you make the best choices for you diet.

Here Are 11 Of The Top Weight Loss Tips

Some you may be familiar with and some not. Its never a bad
thing to recap so here goes.

1. Try to reduce your weight by following natural methods as
opposed to artificial methods of taking slimming pills and so
on. Natural weight loss methods include an organic diet
such as whole grain foods, cereals, vegetables, fruits and
salads.

2. Stay motivated. As soon as people start making
efforts to reduce their weight, they get tired as they
expect quick results. They lose their motivation and give
up. It must be noted that a slow and steady weight loss
acquired through natural methods is more sustainable in the
long run.

3. Avoid fried and fatty foods. Take plenty of fruits and
vegetables every day. Fruits and vegetables are rich in
fibers, vitamins, proteins, antioxidants and minerals. They
are more filling so that your appetite is quelled sooner.
They are also low in calories.

4. Take plenty of water. A normal person should take at
least 8 glasses of water per day depending upon the climate.
If you are overweight, you must try to take more water to
flush down the extra waste and toxic matter in your body. Do
not wait to be thirsty to take water. Keep drinking water in
smaller amounts to keep dehydration away.

5. Keep a watch over your portion size. You should eat only
what is essential for you. In any case, do not over stuff
your tummy just to prevent wastage.

6. Do not skip your breakfast. If you are busy, it is
better to carry an apple, a banana or a pear in your bag and
eat it while you are in the train, or on the move. Just don't
eat nothing, especially for breakfast.

7. Do not skip meals because you are very busy. The best
course is to eat in small quantities so as to balance our
calorie intake throughout the day.

8. Understand food labels and claims. Sometimes we do not
find time to read and understand the details of the food
constituents on the labels of the packages. For example, a
package stating that the content is fat free does not mean
that it is low in calories as well. Note that knowledge is
power that can save you from being cheated.

9. Avoid sugary beverages and drinks. Juices, ice creams or
excessive sugar in your tea and coffee may add up to
needless and harmful calories in your system. Avoid them as
far as possible.

10. Keep a journal of your eating habits. Your journal or a
diary makes you conscious of your eating patterns and helps
you to regulate them. Moreover, you may also note down the
benefits or harmful effects of what you eat. It will help
you to make or maintain healthy changes.

11. Daily exercise can help you to burn the extra fat that
you consume knowingly or otherwise. Consult your doctor or
health specialist about the type of exercise that is
suitable for you. Visit a gym, go walking, jogging, cycling and
other games and sports to burn those extra pounds.

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