RIO Fitness Chicago® Exercise & Nutrition Blog

RIO Fitness Chicago® Tip:

The key to healthy eating is knowing exactly what you're putting into your body. Reading the nutrition facts on the label is the first step. There are tricky words you need to watch out for:

1) "WHOLE WHEAT" can mean it's just the skin of grain. Unless it says 100% whole grain it's not whole grain.

2) "NATURAL." The U.S. FDA does not define nor regulate this term. If the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors or synthetic substances it may be labeled natural. Synthetic substances have been linked with hyperactivity in children and cancer.

3) "ORGANIC" means a farm must have been pesticide/herbicide free for at least three years. An organic label indicates 95% of the product is organic. A food with at least 70% organic ingredients can be labeled “made with organic ingredients.” Organic does not guarantee that it was produced on a small farm, is healthy, or that animals were treated humanely.