Reading Labels
 

Hi, me again!

As I've said before, I haven't started my LC program yet (South
Beach). I'm in the midst of doing research, reading everything I can
get my greedy little hands and eyes on :-)

One thing I've read a lot about here is how lowfat products often
substitute "junky" things to make up for the loss of flavor. Or
something like that g. I was stunned when I went to the grocery
store yesterday and really really examined those labels! I've always
considered myself to be a pretty savvy consumer, a label reader, but I
wasn't really paying attention to some of those loooooooooong
ingredients. Not as savvy as I thought I was.

I just had a read of the label on some "turkey bacon" I bought a while
ago. No high fructose corn syrup, but it does contain sugar. The
label, however, reflects ZERO carbs which I find hard to believe given
that the product does contain sugar. Thoughts? I'm a soon-to-be
SBDer, not Atkins, and the good doctor doesnt' want me to consume
loads of sat fat which is why the turkey bacon intrigued me in the
first place. And it does taste pretty good :-) but then again, so do
other things that are absolutely death to this dietary style.

Oi. Lots more reading to do before I understand what I'm about to
embark upon!

Lisette in Sacramento, California

Reading Labels
 

Lisette,

Manufacturers can round down if the amount per stated serving size is less
than 1 gram.

What you'll have to watch out for on labels while you are low carbing are a
couple of things.

1. Claims that some carbs don't act like carbs and shouldn't be counted--the
"net carb" label scam. This is often not true--especially in the case of
Maltitol, 3/4th of which is metabolized as carb unless it causes diarrhea.

2. Labels that have deducted fiber from the total carbohydrate count.
American labels are not supposed to do this, so most people deduct fiber
from the total count. But when the fiber is already subtracted, you can end
up eating a lot more carb than you expect. European labels (including Lindt
bars) have already deducted fiber from the total carb count.

3. Rounding to 0 in foods like powdered Splenda and Cream. Powdered splenda
has about half a gram per teaspoon which quickly adds up when you bake with
it, cream has 6 grams per cup.

-- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2 diabetes,
hba1c 5.2.
Cut the carbs to respond to my email address!

Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes,
strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/

Looking for help controlling your blood sugar?
Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/...0Diagnosed.htm



"Lisette" wrote in message
...
Hi, me again!

As I've said before, I haven't started my LC program yet (South
Beach). I'm in the midst of doing research, reading everything I can
get my greedy little hands and eyes on :-)

One thing I've read a lot about here is how lowfat products often
substitute "junky" things to make up for the loss of flavor. Or
something like that g. I was stunned when I went to the grocery
store yesterday and really really examined those labels! I've always
considered myself to be a pretty savvy consumer, a label reader, but I
wasn't really paying attention to some of those loooooooooong
ingredients. Not as savvy as I thought I was.

I just had a read of the label on some "turkey bacon" I bought a while
ago. No high fructose corn syrup, but it does contain sugar. The
label, however, reflects ZERO carbs which I find hard to believe given
that the product does contain sugar. Thoughts? I'm a soon-to-be
SBDer, not Atkins, and the good doctor doesnt' want me to consume
loads of sat fat which is why the turkey bacon intrigued me in the
first place. And it does taste pretty good :-) but then again, so do
other things that are absolutely death to this dietary style.

Oi. Lots more reading to do before I understand what I'm about to
embark upon!

Lisette in Sacramento, California

Reading Labels
 

Lisette wrote:

Hi, me again!

As I've said before, I haven't started my LC program yet (South
Beach). I'm in the midst of doing research, reading everything I can
get my greedy little hands and eyes on :-)

One thing I've read a lot about here is how lowfat products often
substitute "junky" things to make up for the loss of flavor. Or
something like that g. I was stunned when I went to the grocery
store yesterday and really really examined those labels! I've always
considered myself to be a pretty savvy consumer, a label reader, but I
wasn't really paying attention to some of those loooooooooong
ingredients. Not as savvy as I thought I was.

I'm the opposite. I always scrutinized *ingredients* with a fine
toothed comb. I ignore the so-called "nutrition information" with all
the silly numbers beside it. I am *far* more interested in *what* I
am eating.