8 Red Flags to Look Out for on Food Labels, According to Nutrition Experts

Grocery shopping can be an overwhelming experience—the sights, smells, and sounds can often muddy your concentration when you are on the hunt for healthy food options. Then, there’s the challenge of deciphering the slew of information found on food labels. If you’re not confused by the alluring claims decorating the front of the packaging, then the nutrition facts panel and ingredients list may have you scratching your head.

These factors can leave many feeling frustrated and confused when trying to choose healthy foods at the supermarket. “Labels can be confusing to read, but they are worth learning when you want to improve your overall health,” says Rhyan Geiger, RDN.

With the help of a handful of RDs, we’ve identified some common food label red flags to watch out for when shopping. “Knowing what to look for allows you to decode the labels with ease,” Geiger says.

• Rhyan Geiger, RDN, is a registered dietitian and the founder of the Phoenix Vegan Dietitian

• Amy Davis, RDN, is a registered dietitian and the founder of Amy Davis Nutrition, LLC

• Alyssa Smolen, MS, RDN, CDN, is a community and media dietitian

8 Food Label Red Flags to Watch Out For

When scouring food labels and food packaging, there are a few places RDs’ eyes immediately gravitate. “I always check the serving size and servings per container first to understand the portion of food the nutrition facts are describing,” says Amy Davis, RDN. Next she takes a look at calories, total fat, carbs, fiber, and protein per serving followed by saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. “Lastly, I always review the ingredients to ensure quality and no artificial ingredients, colors, or flavors,” Davis adds.

That said, it’s important to also take your own personal health into account when clocking this data. “If sugar or carbohydrates are a concern due to diabetes, then these are nutrients to be more mindful of. However, if one deals with gastrointestinal (GI) issues, then fiber might be a nutrient to be conscious of,”  says Alyssa Smolen, MS, RDN, CDN.

If this is already sounding confusing, don’t worry, here are the top eight red flags to look for on food packaging that encompasses a lot of these concepts.

01 of 08 - Added Sugars

Even if an ingredients list doesn’t explicitly say “cane sugar,” that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re buying a sugar-free product as food companies have gotten very savvy when it comes to sneaking them in. “Date syrup, molasses, or brown rice syrup are sneaky forms of added sugar which might not be caught immediately by the consumer when reading the ingredient list,” Smolen says. High fructose corn syrup is another source to look out for, too. “High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is an ingredient to avoid as much as possible, as multiple studies have found that higher intakes of HFCS is associated with the risk of chronic diseases," Geiger adds.

A good way to double-check if there are any sneaky sources of sugar in the food you’re after is to look at the “Includes Xg Added Sugar” indented line under the “Total Carbohydrates” line on the nutrition facts panel. “The lower the number, the better, but 10 grams is typically my cut-off when it comes to added sugars,” Davis explains.

02 of 08 - Vague Marketing Claims

You may already be aware of the litany of vague marketing claims that can litter the front, sides, and back of food packaging. “Several marketing and nutrition claims such as ‘lite’, ‘kid-approved’, or ‘made with real fruit' can be deceiving and misleading to the consumer. Claims aren’t inherently bad, but too many are usually a red flag for me,” Davis says. Oftentimes, these claims are rooted in assumptions over hard evidence. “For parents, ‘kid-approved’ on the packaging doesn’t have much validity; one kid could have liked it, and that was good enough to slap it on the packaging,” Geiger says. “Most of the time, all of these claims are just marketing buzzwords that are not backed up by scientific data.”

03 of 08 - High Sodium Content

Sodium is a nutrient that we need on a daily basis, but only in small amounts—we’re talking a minimum requirement of around 500 milligrams (mg) as opposed to the upwards of 3,000 mg many Americans consume every day. Thankfully, every food product with a nutrition facts panel is required by law to state how much sodium is in the product as well as what percentage of one’s daily intake it is. While this percentage is based on a 2,000 calorie diet, that actually doesn’t matter in the case of sodium, as the general recommendation for most Americans is 2,300 per day, regardless of caloric intake. “Products with over 20% sodium per serving is a red flag, especially for those with heart health concerns,” Geiger says. This is because that amount (460 mg) puts you on a path to quickly exceed the daily recommendation when combined with the other foods you’ll end up eating that day.

04 of 08 - Artificial Ingredients

Whether it’s additives, preservatives, colors, flavors, sweeteners, or otherwise, there can be a range of artificial ingredients in food products that you generally want to steer clear of. “The longterm effects of these ingredients are still unclear, plus there are so many alternatives to choose from these days that it’s best to avoid them if you can,” Davis suggests. “Artificial ingredients like hidden sugar alcohols can cause gastrointestinal issues for some, for example, so it is best to look at the ingredient list when buying a processed food to ensure there’s none present in the option you’re after,” Smolen adds.

05 of 08 - "Natural" Claims

Chances are that you’ve seen the common claim “natural” appear on a range of packaged foods. But out of all the food claims, this one can be the most misleading. It often tricks many into thinking the product in question is organic or completely free from concerning ingredients or nutrients. “The FDA doesn’t have clearly defined criteria for ‘natural' besides not having artificial colors or flavors,” Geiger says. “This is another marketing buzzword that makes the product seem healthier than it actually is.”

06 of 08 - Trans Fats

Trans fats are a man-made ingredient that increases the shelf life and mouthfeel of packaged foods. However, trans fats deliver a one-two punch to heart health, raising low-density (or LDL) cholesterol while decreasing high-density (or HDL) cholesterol. Plus, trans fats have also been tied to increased inflammation and impaired glucose tolerance.

However, determining when trans fat is in a food can be tricky given that, by law, food companies are allowed to claim zero grams of trans fat if a single serving contains 0.5 grams or less. While this may not seem like a big deal, the upper limit for trans fat intake is less than one percent of one’s daily caloric intake (2.2 grams on a 2,000 calorie diet), and many people eat more than one serving of a food at a time. The best way to determine if a food contains trans fat is to actually turn to the ingredients list. If any of the ingredients contain the word ‘hydrogenated,’ then you know the product contains trans fats.

07 of 08 - Low Fiber Content

We’re constantly being encouraged to consume more fiber—and for good reason! This complex carbohydrate is key for optimal gut, heart, metabolic, and digestive health. So if a carbohydrate-containing food has a fiber content of less than five grams, it’s worth checking for a higher fiber option. “A lack of fiber in a food can mean that it is not going to contribute to daily fiber intake, which might already be a difficult goal for some to hit,” Smolen says. Looking for whole grain options can be an easy and quick way to find healthier alternatives.

08 of 08 - Non-Compliance With FDA Regulations

Our final red flag is any signs of non-compliance with FDA food regulations. “When I see nutrition labels that are non-compliant with FDA labeling rules, for example, calories not listed in intervals of 10, it makes me question the accuracy of the nutrition label as a whole,” Davis says. This can also be the case when it comes to allergen disclosures. “Some food products will clearly label if it contains dairy or milk but not eggs,” Smolen adds. “If people have an egg allergy, this is something to consider.” In this egg-specific case, the best way to double-check this would be to look at the ingredients list.