Reading Labels for Healthy Snacking
Posted in Yo Naturals, YoNaturals Healthy Vending Business | By YoNaturals | Tags: YoNaturals healthy vending machine
If you’re like many who are trying to eat healthier, you probably know that not all snack foods are created equally. Even with claims of healthy benefits painted boldly on their packaging, it may take a little investigative work on our part to ensure that our families are eating good wholesome food to give us energy and keep us healthy over the long term.
One way to look at our snack foods to figure out if they fit into a healthy lifestyle is to look at the nutritional labels on the packaging of foods. Of course, some of the best foods we can eat come naturally packaged without a label, in the form of fruits and vegetables! You really can’t go wrong by picking up most of your snacks in your local produce section or farmer’s market, particularly if they are organic fruits and vegetables. But for many of us, and our kids, there are times when packaged foods are either more convenient or simply preferred over other things. In that case, there are a couple of things to look for on the nutritional label that is required on all packaged foods.
- Serving Size
- The serving size will tell you how much of the product the manufacturer is using for the measurements on the label.
- Servings per container
- The servings per container will tell you how many servings are in the package. This is important because, depending on how much of the package you eat, you will need to multiply the amounts on the label by the number of servings you eat.
- Calories per serving
- It is important to compare the calories per serving to the number of servings there are in a container. Add up how many calories are in the entire package if you will be eating the entire package over the course of a day or two. Simply multiply the calories per serving by the servings per container.
- Fats
- Good in moderation
- Monounsaturated fats have positive effects on cholesterol, like lowering levels of the so-called “bad” LDL cholesterol and raising levels of healthy HDL cholesterol.
- Omega 3 is recommended for its anti-inflammatory properties and its positive effects on cholesterol, as well as its role in the prevention of a number of diseases including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
- Avoid these fats
- Saturated fats can raise your LDL cholesterol levels, or the so-called “bad” cholesterol, which contribute to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Trans fats are particularly harmful to your health because they raise your LDL cholesterol levels and lower your healthy HDL cholesterol levels.
- Good in moderation
- Ingredients to avoid
- Hydrogenated oils
Partially hydrogenated oil is a common ingredient in snack foods. Hydrogenation is the process of turning a liquid, unsaturated fat into a solid fat commonly called trans fat. Avoid snacks with hydrogenated oil listed as an ingredient, even if the item lists zero trans fats. - High fructose corn syrup
High fructose corn syrup contains a high amount of fructose, which the body cannot utilize very well and can possibly be disruptive to metabolism and liver function. Avoid snacks containing high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient.
- Hydrogenated oils
The clear winners in healthy snacking use natural and organic ingredients and no preservatives, hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup. You will find plenty of healthy snacking options from your nearest YoNaturals vending machine. When you have a YoNaturals vending machine nearby healthy vending becomes a reality.
When you choose foods and beverages from a YoNaturals healthy vending machine, you don’t have to worry about things like trans fats or preservatives. You’ll have lots of natural and organic products from which to choose. Encourage your gym, school or workplace to use a YoNaturals vending machine to ensure healthy snacking for the entire family.
Author: Rachel Moss
