How to Read Food Labels Without Getting Misled

Why food labels are so confusing

Reading food labels should be simple, but most packaging is designed to mislead. Manufacturers use front of pack claims like “low fat,” “all natural,” or “light” to nudge you toward a product that often is not healthy at all. These labels exploit your desire to eat better, while hiding the real issues that is the high levels of processing, added sugars, and chemical preservatives.

Even when consumers try to make better decisions, they often focus on the wrong numbers, like calories or total fat. But what truly affects your health is how a food is processed and what is added to it.

In a study published by BMC Public Health (2023), researchers found that shoppers who paid attention to full nutrition labels and ingredient lists were significantly more likely to understand a product’s health value. Eye tracking revealed that attention to ingredient quality, rather than calories, predicted better food choices.

How most people get food labels wrong

Most food shoppers do not read labels consistently. Many rely on front of pack claims or only scan for specific items like sugar or fat. This creates a narrow view of health that misses the broader issue of ultra processing.

Ultra processed foods often contain dozens of unfamiliar or hard to pronounce ingredients. These may not register as unhealthy at a glance, but they dramatically affect how your body responds.

A 2018 study in Appetite, published on ScienceDirect, found that people who actively viewed full nutrition labels made consistently healthier choices during an intervention trial. These choices were not just about fewer calories, they reflected better nutrient balance, fewer additives, and reduced sugar intake.

What your body does with processed vs whole foods

When you eat whole food, your body recognises its structure and nutrients. This triggers predictable digestion, hormonal responses, and satiety signals. In contrast, ultra processed food confuses these systems. It can spike blood sugar more rapidly, increase insulin levels, and delay satiety, which means you feel hungry again sooner even if you ate more calories.

Added sugars and oils are particularly problematic. They change how your gut and brain register the food, leading to overeating, nutrient imbalances, and inflammation over time. Long ingredient lists are a strong indicator that your body may not respond well to the product, even if the calories appear reasonable.

Simple guidelines that work every time

Scan the ingredients list
Fewer ingredients usually means less processing and better absorption. Aim for whole foods with simple labels.

Ignore front label health claims
Phrases like “all natural” or “reduced sugar” do not mean the product is healthy. They often distract you from poor ingredients.

Check for added sugars and oils
These are common in processed foods and can drive hunger, cravings, and poor nutrient absorption.

Why this matters for your health

Understanding how to read food labels gives you control over what you eat. It helps you avoid being manipulated by marketing and instead focus on what your body actually needs. Over time, this skill makes healthy eating easier and more intuitive. It helps reduce decision fatigue and makes every shopping trip a step toward better health, not just better habits.

References

• Gorski Findling, M.T., et al. (2023). Front-of-pack nutrition labels and consumer attention and understanding in the supermarket: a mixed-methods eye-tracking study. BMC Public Health. Full study
• Bix, L., et al. (2018). Do nutrition labels influence healthier food choices? Analysis of label viewing behaviour and subsequent food purchases in a labelling intervention trial. Appetite. Full study