Knowledge zone

When shopping at the supermarket, many of us automatically reach for a product without looking more closely at the back of the packaging. But that is exactly where important information is hidden, which is crucial for our health and well-being. Food labels are like little treasure troves of information that help us make conscious purchasing decisions. In this article, we show you seven practical tips on how to read food labels correctly and protect yourself from bad purchases.

Why is reading food labels so important?

Before we get to the specific tips, it is important to understand why carefully reading food labels is necessary at all. The food industry often uses clever marketing tricks to make products appear more attractive than they actually are. A product may be advertised on the front with large letters saying "Organic" or "Natural," while the ingredient list on the back tells a completely different story.

By carefully reading labels, you can:

• Identifying hidden sugars and salt
• Identifying allergens and intolerances
• Evaluating the actual quality of a product
• Using your budget better
• Supporting your nutritional goals
• Choosing sustainable and ethically responsible products

Tip 1: Start with the ingredient list

The ingredient list is the heart of every food label. It shows you exactly what is in the product – and in what quantity. An important principle: The ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. This means that the first ingredient makes up the largest proportion.

For example, if you buy a muesli and sugar is the second or third ingredient, then you know that this muesli is relatively high in sugar. Pay special attention to hidden sugar names like glucose syrup, fructose, honey, or agave syrup. These are all forms of sugar, just under different names.

Ideally, the ingredient list should be short and consist of ingredients you can pronounce and understand. The shorter and more natural the list, the better the product quality generally is.

Tip 2: Pay attention to the nutritional information

The nutritional information per 100 grams or per serving gives you a good overview of the product's composition. Here you will find information on:

• Energy (in kilocalories)
• Fat
• Carbohydrates
• Sugar
• Protein
• Salt

A practical tip: Compare the nutritional information of several similar products with each other. This way you can quickly see which product is the better choice. If two yogurts look similar, but one has 15 grams of sugar per 100 grams and the other only 5 grams, the decision is clear.

It is especially important to pay attention to the sugar content. The World Health Organization recommends that no more than 25 grams of sugar should be consumed per day. That is reached faster than you think if you are not careful.

Tip 3: Recognize hidden allergens and intolerances

Allergens must be clearly labeled on food labels. The most common allergens are:

• Peanuts
• Nuts
• Milk
• Eggs
• Fish
• Crustaceans
• Wheat
• Soy
• Sesame

But it is not just the main ingredients that can contain allergens. Often there are also warnings like "May contain traces of..." These are especially important if you or someone in your family has an allergy. Some people also react to additives like sulfites or tartrazine (food coloring).

If you want to live gluten-free, look for the gluten-free seal. Not all gluten-free products are automatically healthier, but they are essential for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

Tip 4: Understand the shelf-life dates

There are two important dates on food labels:

• The best-before date: The product is not automatically spoiled after this date, but it may lose quality
• The expiration date: After this date, the product should no longer be consumed, especially for highly perishable products like meat or fish

A practical tip: Buy products with a later best-before date so you can store them longer. But products close to their best-before date can still be perfectly fine and are often cheaper.

Tip 5: Pay attention to additives and E-numbers

Additives are labeled with E-numbers and serve various purposes such as preservation, coloring, or flavor enhancement. Not all additives are bad, but it is worth knowing them.

Some additives you should avoid:

• E102, E110, E124, E129: Artificial colors
• E621: Monosodium glutamate (flavor enhancer)
• E250, E251: Preservatives (nitrites)

There are also natural additives that are less problematic. If you buy organic products, the additives are generally more regulated and natural.

Tip 6: Compare the serving size

A common trick of the food industry is manipulating the serving size. A product can have very low nutritional values if the serving size is unrealistically small. For example, if a serving of cereal is listed as only 30 grams, but you usually eat 50 grams, you need to adjust the nutritional values accordingly.

Always pay attention to whether the nutritional information is given per 100 grams or per serving. For a fair comparison between products, the information per 100 grams is most helpful.

Tip 7: Use certifications and seals

There are many seals and certifications on food packaging. Not all are equally meaningful. Here are some of the most important ones:

Organic seal

The EU organic seal guarantees that the product has been produced according to strict ecological standards. It is a reliable sign of quality and sustainability.

Vegan and vegetarian seals

These seals show that the product contains no animal products. Especially important for people who want to eat a plant-based diet.

Fairtrade seal

This seal guarantees fair working conditions and fair prices for producers in developing countries.

Gluten-free seal

For people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, this seal is essential.

Practical tips for your next shopping trip

Now that you know what to look for, here are some practical tips for your next shopping trip:

1. Take your time when shopping. Don't rush through the aisles, but read the labels calmly.
2. Compare at least two similar products with each other.
3. Use your smartphone to look up E-numbers when you are unsure.
4. Prefer to shop at stores like MarktBio.com, which offer a wide selection of organic, gluten-free, and vegan products. There, the products are already pre-filtered and meet high quality standards.
5. Trust your gut feeling. If an ingredient list puts you off, the product is probably not the best choice.

Conclusion

Reading food labels is a skill everyone should develop. It takes some time and attention at first, but soon it will become a habit. With the seven tips from this article, you are well-equipped to make conscious purchasing decisions and protect yourself from bad buys.

Remember: You are not just a consumer, but also a customer. Your purchasing decisions have power. When you choose products with better quality, fewer additives, and sustainable production, you send a signal to the industry that these things matter to you.

Start today by reading the labels of your favorite products more carefully. You'll be surprised at what you discover. And if you're looking for high-quality organic, gluten-free, and vegan products, check out MarktBio.com – there you'll find a wide selection of products already chosen according to high standards.