Reading Labels

Been on a diet recently? If you have, then the odds are pretty good that you have been reading a lot of labels on the food products that you consumed. Many of the most popular diets and nutrient management services encourage their subscribers to make label reading a regular habit. It is a good way to monitor exactly what you are putting into your body, and how much you are consuming in terms of calories.

At Simply Delicious, we encourage the reading of labels whether you are on a diet or not. You should be aware by now that having a good idea of what is going into the systems of you and your family is important to your overall health. The fact is that we are living in strange times when it comes to food. Communications through the label are often the only way for the consumer to know exactly what goes into the food they eat.

In this series of articles, we are going to stress the importance of reading labels in two different areas. The first is in the area of nutrition; we will talk about what to look for on a label, where to find it, and what all that information means. We will also decode some of the trickier parts of label reading for you; it is not always as straightforward as it sounds!

Next, we will talk about reading labels in order to find child friendly products. As always, your diet will be of paramount concern, but child care is about more than just what your kids eat. It is important to understand how to read labels on other products directly related to your child's health, and we will take a look at some of those products and those labels as well.

To start out, let's talk about just what you can expect to find on a label, for any product, other than the actual ingredients that the product contains. Why? Well, if it does not have all the proper writing on the label, odds are the product did not pass through Canadian inspections. It means you are taking a gamble with your health as the product has not been approved by the Canadian Health Department, so you should probably pass it up.

The first thing you want to look for is the Canadian trade mark symbol that denotes the approval of the company under Canadian law. Big and small companies alike have a circled R by their corporate names, which means they are registered in the country. At the very least, it is a good indication that the company is on the regulatory map.

Next, always check for a due date on food products. All products have some kind of due date, even those that we consider non-perishable. Beyond that date the product or the packaging may start to break down, which could pose a health risk.

On a final note, it is possible to check the labels on foods even if you are not opening the packaging yourself. You may, for example, find yourself in a situation where there is corporate catering. Toronto and many other cities have companies who host dinners for their employees, and they bring in professionals to prepare the food. This doesn't mean you have to eat "blind", though. Don't be afraid to ask servers about the contents of the food, which they can find on the labels.

Understanding consuming habits is an important part of home health care. Toronto and every other location in Canada should be selling only products with labels on them, according to health Canada standards. These labels can help your family lead a healthier lifestyle.