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    Hummusapien » Lifestyle » Life » Life Lessons: On Counting Ingredients, Not Calories

    Life Lessons: On Counting Ingredients, Not Calories

    Published Feb 23, 2014 · Modified Nov 8, 2021 · by Alexis Joseph · 142 Comments

    Eating clean is a dirty, dirty business.

    grocery cart

    Eating clean isn't a formula. It's not merely calories in and calories out. It's not just the nutrition label. It's not skim milk, light "wheat" bread and Fiber One cereal tainted with aspartame. It's not reduced-fat peanut butter solidified with trans fat and it most definitely is not cheese whiz from a can made with "real" cheese. Ummm? I can't even.

    Let me be frank here. I firmly believe that the quality of the calories we consume is just as critical (if not more) than the quantity. Though we're different metabolically, we're all still fueled by the energy we get from the calories in our food. And is it food that we're really eating or merely a food product? I'm not so sure. It's up to us to give our bodies real food with real inherent nutrients. Easier said than done, right? That doesn't mean high fiber oatmeal pumped up with added oat fiber or high protein granola tainted with soy protein isolate. Nothankyewww.

    Allow me to step on my soap box for a hot minute. Protein is a macronutrient found naturally in meat, dairy, eggs, beans, nuts, legumes and soy. Appreciate granola for the carbohydrate that it is and the protein that it isn't. Must we inject EVERYTHING with protein and fiber?  The high-protein cream cheese stunt just about did it for me. Enough already!

    Eat foods without labels.

    Eat foods made of plants, not in them.

    Eat foods with ingredient labels shorter than my hair.

    grocerycart

    Get out your microscopes and get comfy. Step into my office (or brain) and allow me to mentally walk you through the conundrum that is the grocery store. Watch me as I pick up a product (and probably put it right back down) as I look first and foremost at the list of ingredients. For the sake of brevity, I'm not going to write a novel about why every ingredient is specifically detrimental to the diet. I merely want to provide you with a quick snapshot of how to make the cleanest decision when grocery shopping for your favorites.

    I chose to take these pictures at Kroger (as opposed to Whole Foods or Trader Joe's) for a realistic snapshot of the good and the evil out there. Some of the "good" versions happen to be Simple Truth, which is Kroger's affordable, healthy house brand. Though I've done work for Simple Truth in the past, I am in no way being compensated by Simple Truth for this post. They just happen to have awesome versions of several products. This is all me, folks.

    Greek Yogurt

    yogurt

    When it comes to yogurt, aim for simply milk and bacteria (acidophilus, bifidus, etc). Lots of brands contain thickeners like pectin and corn starch along with artificial sweeteners like sucralose. Some even contain whey protein in order to boost the protein content on the label. We want strained yogurt that's naturally high in protein, not full of added protein. That's a no no.

    Butter

    butter

    Ohhh buttah. Cutting fat and calories from a food that's inherently all fat and calories means adding chemicals and flavorings to make up for it. Exhibit A.  In order to slash calories by half, crap like modified food starch, monoglycerides and preservatives like sodium benzoate were added to the mix.

    Vegetable Broth

    broth

    Vegetable broth is sneaky in that it often hides hidden sources of MSG, like yeast extract. Yeast extract contains free glutamate, the most active ingredient in MSG. Go for ones that are--welp, veggies and water. Pass on the dextrose, yeast extract and "natural flavors," which is a code name for a list of hundreds of flavorings that aren't required to be listed by name. The definition according to the Code of Federal Regulations is "the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional (21CFR101.22)." Natural? I think not.

    Granola

    PicMonkey Collage granola

    Everyone wants to stuff granola with protein these days. Avoid granola boasting "high protein" claims, since they're likely amped up with soy protein isolate. Eating small amounts of organic soy in whole forms like tofu and tempeh is all fine and dandy. You don't need it's highly processed leftovers in your granola. Kapeesh? Go for one made with simple, wholesome ingredients like rolled oats, honey or maple syrup, nuts, seeds and dried fruit.

    Creamer

    PicMonkey Collage creamer

    Please tell me you don't pollute your coffee with this liquid poison every morning. Okay....a bit hyperbolic, I'll admit. Jacking up your java with partially hydrogenated oil (trans fat) and a bunch of artificial sweeteners? I couldn't think of a worse way to start the day. Pass on the preservatives and fake flavorings and go for creamers made simply with milk and cream. Coffeemate even makes a natural version now! Oh la la.

    Peanuts

    PicMonkey Collage peanuts

    You'd think you could skip the label reading when it comes to a snack as simple as nuts...but these cocktail nuts are doused in hydrolyzed soy protein, maltodextrin, corn syrup solids and "natural" flavor. Stick with version that have only nuts as the ingredients (oil and salt are okay, too).

    Also, a word on popcorn. Must we pop our popcorn in trans fat? Not if I can help it! Read the label and make sure partially hydrogenated oil isn't on the list. The tolerable upper limit for trans fat is zero grams. It's directly correlated to heart disease risk. Say no!

    Peanut Butter

    peanut butter

    Ever wonder why "natural" peanut butters must be stirred? Traditional peanut butter is solidified with hydrogenated oils. Aim for the natural brands without trans fat. Peanut and salt are what we're going for, here! The natural versions with palm oil are okay, too. This store brand natural version was under two dollars!

    Whole-Wheat Bread

    PicMonkey Collage bread

    When it comes to bread, you definitely want whole wheat flour as the first ingredient. Go for versions with shorter ingredient lists and ones without high fructose corn syrup, enriched wheat flour (white flour), datem and calcium propionate.

    Instant Oatmeal

    PicMonkey Collage oatmeal

    Old fashioned oats (or better yet, steel cut) are less processed than instant, but sometimes we're in a hurry and I get that. Lots of mainstream brands like Quaker have artificial sweeteners. As always, look for a wholesome ingredient list without added crap! It shouldn't have more than four or five ingredients.

    Hot Dogs

    PicMonkey Collage hot dog

    Processed meats get such a bad rep in the health field not only because of their exorbitantly high sodium content , but mostly because of the carcinogenic nitrates they contain. If you're craving a hot dog, look for ones without those nasties.

    You wouldn't believe the places that trans fat hides. You'll find it in some taco shells, Lawry's garlic salt, and even  cocktail nuts! What's the message here?

    PicMonkey Collage trans fat

    Read the ingredient label! Eating clean is a dirty business, but reading ingredient lists makes the detective work a heck of a lot easier. Happy shopping! Muhaha. Questions? Comments? I'd be happy to answer them in a follow-up post, so leave one if you've got one!

    For more "Life Lessons" Posts, check out:

    Life Lessons: On Beer and Kale

    On Bagels: If Not Now, Then When?

    About Alexis Joseph

    Oh HEY there! I'm Alexis Joseph, food writer, blogger, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), new mama, and co-founder of local restaurant group, Alchemy. I use my passion for cooking and wellness as fuel to help others ignite a more freeing and happy relationship with food. Learn more about Alexis!

    5 Secrets to Delish, Healthy Lunches

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    1. run 4 game says

      February 21, 2019 at 9:37 pm

      He then went into the Radar Relay offering and the 0X protocol before talking about the future of decentralized exchanges. The audience was not short of questions ranging from liquidity challenges and arbitrage opportunities to the not unexpected probes into trust and transparency assumptions. You can see the full presentation on the youtube link below.

      Reply
    2. run 4 game says

      February 21, 2019 at 9:37 pm

      He then went into the Radar Relay offering and the 0X protocol before talking about the future of decentralized exchanges. The audience was not short of questions ranging from liquidity challenges and arbitrage opportunities to the not unexpected probes into trust and transparency assumptions. You can see the full presentation on the youtube link below.

      Reply
    3. Daniela says

      April 10, 2017 at 11:43 pm

      hello hello and thanks for the great post! I was wondering your thoughts on water flavoring methods? in particular crystal light or Mio that claim to have zero calories?

      Reply
    4. Daniela says

      April 10, 2017 at 11:43 pm

      hello hello and thanks for the great post! I was wondering your thoughts on water flavoring methods? in particular crystal light or Mio that claim to have zero calories?

      Reply
    5. www.lachboguslaw.pl says

      August 08, 2016 at 2:56 pm

      Mix them with some healthy essential fat those you discover in oily
      fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines in addition to nuts, seeds and their oils.

      Reply
    6. www.lachboguslaw.pl says

      August 08, 2016 at 2:56 pm

      Mix them with some healthy essential fat those you discover in oily
      fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines in addition to nuts, seeds and their oils.

      Reply
    7. Adam says

      October 24, 2014 at 12:26 pm

      Great article! Another great bread option is Food For Life's Ezekiel sprouted grains bread. Makes great toast and the ingredients are all organic plants! Organic Sprouted Wheat, Filtered Water, Organic Malted Barley, Organic Sprouted Rye, Organic Sprouted Barley, Organic Sprouted Oats, Organic Sprouted Millet, Organic Sprouted Corn, Organic Sprouted Brown Rice, Fresh Yeast, Organic Wheat Gluten, Sea Salt.

      Reply
    8. Adam says

      October 24, 2014 at 12:26 pm

      Great article! Another great bread option is Food For Life's Ezekiel sprouted grains bread. Makes great toast and the ingredients are all organic plants! Organic Sprouted Wheat, Filtered Water, Organic Malted Barley, Organic Sprouted Rye, Organic Sprouted Barley, Organic Sprouted Oats, Organic Sprouted Millet, Organic Sprouted Corn, Organic Sprouted Brown Rice, Fresh Yeast, Organic Wheat Gluten, Sea Salt.

      Reply
    9. film splendidement chaud avec une superbe gorge profonde chaude says

      July 07, 2014 at 10:24 am

      On voit direct que vous maîtrisez bien le thème

      Reply
    10. film splendidement chaud avec une superbe gorge profonde chaude says

      July 07, 2014 at 10:24 am

      On voit direct que vous maîtrisez bien le thème

      Reply
    11. Conny says

      May 13, 2014 at 3:22 pm

      Love your post!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        May 13, 2014 at 6:32 pm

        Thanks, Conny!!

        Reply
    12. Conny says

      May 13, 2014 at 3:22 pm

      Love your post!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        May 13, 2014 at 6:32 pm

        Thanks, Conny!!

        Reply
    13. Lori says

      March 20, 2014 at 12:48 pm

      Hi! Just stumbled across your blog and I am loving it so far! So, I checked my greek yogurt (Stonyfield) and realized the vanilla flavor contains pectin, big bummer b/c I LOVE the vanilla flavor and usually add my own granola along with some fruit. I guess I'd better switch to the plain version (a bit tart for me!) or any ideas to add natural vanilla flavor?

      I use Bliss for my morning coffee and was happy to see you mention this in your post! Although maybe I will try plain cream for a bit less sugar in the morning.

      Reply
    14. Lori says

      March 20, 2014 at 12:48 pm

      Hi! Just stumbled across your blog and I am loving it so far! So, I checked my greek yogurt (Stonyfield) and realized the vanilla flavor contains pectin, big bummer b/c I LOVE the vanilla flavor and usually add my own granola along with some fruit. I guess I'd better switch to the plain version (a bit tart for me!) or any ideas to add natural vanilla flavor?

      I use Bliss for my morning coffee and was happy to see you mention this in your post! Although maybe I will try plain cream for a bit less sugar in the morning.

      Reply
    15. Mary @ Fit and Fed says

      March 06, 2014 at 4:16 pm

      Alexis this was a really educational post, I'm sure it will help many. I haven't seen the supposedly healthier butter with all the additional crazy ingredients (shaking head). It's amazing what we will do to food in pursuit of the latest fad--- the very latest, as you noted, being protein. Leave the food the way it came as much as possible!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        March 07, 2014 at 2:47 pm

        Thanks so much, Mary. I hope it was helpful! I love the last line of your post...that sums it up pretty perfectly!

        Reply
    16. Mary @ Fit and Fed says

      March 06, 2014 at 4:16 pm

      Alexis this was a really educational post, I'm sure it will help many. I haven't seen the supposedly healthier butter with all the additional crazy ingredients (shaking head). It's amazing what we will do to food in pursuit of the latest fad--- the very latest, as you noted, being protein. Leave the food the way it came as much as possible!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        March 07, 2014 at 2:47 pm

        Thanks so much, Mary. I hope it was helpful! I love the last line of your post...that sums it up pretty perfectly!

        Reply
    17. Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets says

      March 02, 2014 at 3:56 pm

      I found this post through Running with Spoons link love, and I'm so glad I did. I'm a huge advocate of reading labels for their ingredients as opposed to calorie counts and other nutritional stats. Naturally then, I loved this post. I couldn't have said it better myself. I also whole heartedly agree with food containing the nutrients they're suppose to, without beefing them up with protein and fiber. I don't get the obsession and since most Americans are overweight, it's obviously not working. I wish, instead of having to diligent read labels, we could just exclude this crap from our food supply to begin with....hopefully one day.

      Thanks again. Great post.

      Reply
    18. Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets says

      March 02, 2014 at 3:56 pm

      I found this post through Running with Spoons link love, and I'm so glad I did. I'm a huge advocate of reading labels for their ingredients as opposed to calorie counts and other nutritional stats. Naturally then, I loved this post. I couldn't have said it better myself. I also whole heartedly agree with food containing the nutrients they're suppose to, without beefing them up with protein and fiber. I don't get the obsession and since most Americans are overweight, it's obviously not working. I wish, instead of having to diligent read labels, we could just exclude this crap from our food supply to begin with....hopefully one day.

      Thanks again. Great post.

      Reply
    19. Andrea @ Pencils and Pancakes says

      March 02, 2014 at 1:23 pm

      What a great post! I do the exact same thing at the grocery store...probably why it take me 2 hours to shop every week!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        March 02, 2014 at 1:54 pm

        Thanks so much, Andrea! Grocery shopping is QUITE the event. No shame!

        Reply
    20. Andrea @ Pencils and Pancakes says

      March 02, 2014 at 1:23 pm

      What a great post! I do the exact same thing at the grocery store...probably why it take me 2 hours to shop every week!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        March 02, 2014 at 1:54 pm

        Thanks so much, Andrea! Grocery shopping is QUITE the event. No shame!

        Reply
    21. Rachel Schaeffer says

      February 27, 2014 at 5:02 pm

      Hey Alexis,
      I have known soy protein isolate to be an ingredient to avoid, but why specifically is it bad besides being highly processed? (Not that highly processed alone isn't a good enough reason to avoid it : )

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 28, 2014 at 12:47 pm

        Hey Rachel! Basically the problem lies in the harsh processing. Soy is a great complete protein for vegetarians, and consuming organic tofu, tempeh or soymilk a couple times a week is perfectly fine. But grinding, heating, and picking apart the soy (which is most likely genetically modified) until all that's left is the processed isolated protein and then adding that to all kinds of foods to boost the protein content isn't pretty. It just doesn't mesh with the whole-foods lifestyle that I like to promote 🙂 Hope that helps!

        Reply
    22. Rachel Schaeffer says

      February 27, 2014 at 5:02 pm

      Hey Alexis,
      I have known soy protein isolate to be an ingredient to avoid, but why specifically is it bad besides being highly processed? (Not that highly processed alone isn't a good enough reason to avoid it : )

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 28, 2014 at 12:47 pm

        Hey Rachel! Basically the problem lies in the harsh processing. Soy is a great complete protein for vegetarians, and consuming organic tofu, tempeh or soymilk a couple times a week is perfectly fine. But grinding, heating, and picking apart the soy (which is most likely genetically modified) until all that's left is the processed isolated protein and then adding that to all kinds of foods to boost the protein content isn't pretty. It just doesn't mesh with the whole-foods lifestyle that I like to promote 🙂 Hope that helps!

        Reply
    23. Monica B. says

      February 27, 2014 at 2:16 am

      Thank you so very much for this article and the great side-by-side pics. I have shared your article with my husband who drinks CoffeeMate every day (yikes!). I hope he will read it and make some changes. I especially appreciate the information about the bread. I find it hard to find healthy, soft, and good tasting bread.
      (Go Team TJ's!)

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 27, 2014 at 10:50 am

        I'm glad you and your hubby liked the article! Hopefully he'll make the switch now 🙂 It's definitely hard to find soft bread that's not full of preservatives...Whole Foods makes a whole-wheat house brand bread that's soft and not full of crap, too!

        Reply
    24. Monica B. says

      February 27, 2014 at 2:16 am

      Thank you so very much for this article and the great side-by-side pics. I have shared your article with my husband who drinks CoffeeMate every day (yikes!). I hope he will read it and make some changes. I especially appreciate the information about the bread. I find it hard to find healthy, soft, and good tasting bread.
      (Go Team TJ's!)

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 27, 2014 at 10:50 am

        I'm glad you and your hubby liked the article! Hopefully he'll make the switch now 🙂 It's definitely hard to find soft bread that's not full of preservatives...Whole Foods makes a whole-wheat house brand bread that's soft and not full of crap, too!

        Reply
    25. Michelle says

      February 26, 2014 at 5:28 pm

      I LOVE THIS POST. I almost got my degree in Dietetics and I'm so passionate about this stuff. And this was a really good reminder for me as well, because I tend to get lazy about food. Seriously though, love this and your blog.

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 26, 2014 at 11:08 pm

        Thanks so much for your sweet comment, Michelle!

        Reply
    26. Michelle says

      February 26, 2014 at 5:28 pm

      I LOVE THIS POST. I almost got my degree in Dietetics and I'm so passionate about this stuff. And this was a really good reminder for me as well, because I tend to get lazy about food. Seriously though, love this and your blog.

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 26, 2014 at 11:08 pm

        Thanks so much for your sweet comment, Michelle!

        Reply
    27. Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says

      February 26, 2014 at 5:20 pm

      seriously eating clean is a really tough thing. sometimes i buy things just assuming its good only to find out its loaded with so much crap 🙁 thanks for the reminder esp with bread. I dont even know which ones to buy..

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 26, 2014 at 11:08 pm

        Hope the reminder was helpful! I always go with Ezekiel bread 🙂

        Reply
    28. Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says

      February 26, 2014 at 5:20 pm

      seriously eating clean is a really tough thing. sometimes i buy things just assuming its good only to find out its loaded with so much crap 🙁 thanks for the reminder esp with bread. I dont even know which ones to buy..

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 26, 2014 at 11:08 pm

        Hope the reminder was helpful! I always go with Ezekiel bread 🙂

        Reply
    29. Emily @SinfulNutrition says

      February 26, 2014 at 9:26 am

      Great post! I agree with every word! Except I'm a little skeptical of palm oil . I stick to the au natural pb.
      I was horrified when I took a look at the bag of cheese puffs my Nana was eating when the label stated 1 gram of trans fat PER SERVING! You know it's bad when there is an actual number where it says trans fat. Poin in case, stay away from neon orange snack foods.

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 26, 2014 at 11:11 pm

        Those cheese puffs are trans fat city!! I do au natural pb too, but I wanted to make sure people are aware that palm oil is better than partially hydrogenated oil 🙂

        Reply
    30. Emily @SinfulNutrition says

      February 26, 2014 at 9:26 am

      Great post! I agree with every word! Except I'm a little skeptical of palm oil . I stick to the au natural pb.
      I was horrified when I took a look at the bag of cheese puffs my Nana was eating when the label stated 1 gram of trans fat PER SERVING! You know it's bad when there is an actual number where it says trans fat. Poin in case, stay away from neon orange snack foods.

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 26, 2014 at 11:11 pm

        Those cheese puffs are trans fat city!! I do au natural pb too, but I wanted to make sure people are aware that palm oil is better than partially hydrogenated oil 🙂

        Reply
    31. Geraldine says

      February 25, 2014 at 9:18 pm

      This was super informative. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 26, 2014 at 10:57 pm

        You're welcome, Geraldine!

        Reply
    32. Geraldine says

      February 25, 2014 at 9:18 pm

      This was super informative. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 26, 2014 at 10:57 pm

        You're welcome, Geraldine!

        Reply
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