How to Read Food Labels
Master label reading with data from 2M+ products. Learn to quickly identify ultra-processed foods and make healthier choices.
Quick Label Reading System
✅ Good Signs
- • 5 or fewer ingredients
- • Ingredients you recognize
- • No artificial colors/flavors
- • Sodium under 500mg per serving
- • Added sugars under 6g
- • Minimal processing words
⚠️ Red Flags
- • 20+ ingredients
- • High fructose corn syrup
- • Multiple artificial additives
- • Sodium over 900mg per serving
- • Added sugars over 30g
- • Long chemical names
📊 The Reality Check
31%
of products are ultra-processed (Level 4)
25.5%
have 20+ ingredients
23.2%
are high in sodium
The Ingredient Count Rule
One of the quickest ways to assess food quality is counting ingredients. Our analysis of 2M+ products reveals clear patterns:
Key insight: Products with 20+ ingredients average a Processing Score 5x higher than those with 1-5 ingredients (12.6 vs 2.3).
Nutrition Facts Key Numbers
🧂 Sodium Watch Points
🍯 Sugar Reality Check
⚠️ Saturated Fat Alert
28.9% of products exceed healthy saturated fat levels. Look for:
- • Less than 2g per serving (ideal)
- • Under 10% of daily value
- • Avoid "partially hydrogenated" oils
Hidden Sugars Guide
Sugar hides under many names. Look for these common aliases in ingredient lists:
Syrups
- • High fructose corn syrup
- • Corn syrup
- • Brown rice syrup
- • Agave syrup
- • Maple syrup
Technical Names
- • Dextrose
- • Maltodextrin
- • Sucrose
- • Fructose
- • Glucose
Natural Sugars
- • Cane sugar
- • Coconut sugar
- • Date sugar
- • Fruit juice concentrate
- • Honey
Pro tip: If a product has multiple sugar sources, they're likely trying to keep "sugar" from appearing first in the ingredient list.
Common Additives to Watch
Based on our analysis of ingredient frequency, these are the most common additives in processed foods:
🔴 Ultra-Processing Indicators
🟡 Moderately Processed
Marketing Claims vs Reality
Even products with healthy-sounding names can be highly processed. Here are real examples:
Healthy Choice Honey Roasted Turkey
112 ingredients including modified corn starch, artificial flavors, mono- and diglycerides, and multiple preservatives.
Naturally Flavored Trail Mix
70 ingredients with Yellow #5, Yellow #6, Red #40, corn syrup, and multiple artificial colors despite "natural" claims.
✅ True Minimal Processing
Compare with genuinely simple products:
Quick Decision Flowchart
Practice Label Reading
Use this checklist next time you're shopping:
✅ Ingredient List Checklist
📊 Nutrition Facts Checklist
Scoring: 8-10 checkmarks = Excellent choice, 5-7 = Good choice, 3-4 = Proceed with caution, 0-2 = Consider alternatives
Key Takeaways
- ✓Ingredient count matters: Products with 1-5 ingredients average a Processing Score of 2.3, while those with 20+ ingredients average 12.6.
- ✓Watch for hidden sugars: Sugar has 60+ different names - learn to spot them to avoid overconsumption.
- ✓Marketing claims mislead: "Natural" and "healthy" products can still contain 50+ artificial ingredients and preservatives.
- ✓Nutrition thresholds: Aim for under 500mg sodium and 6g added sugar per serving to avoid the high-risk categories.
- ✓When in doubt, skip it: If you can't pronounce it or don't recognize it, there's likely a simpler alternative.
Put Your Skills to Practice
Disclaimer: All tools and data visualizations are provided for educational and informational purposes only. They are not intended as health, medical, or dietary advice. Always consult healthcare professionals for personalized dietary guidance.