Some of us make a trip to the grocery store, grab what looks good, and call it a day. Others of us carefully inspect the nutrition and ingredients labels on the back of the package, strategizing over how each individual item might fit into our personal dietary strategy. If you're new to this practice, the information on the back of the box might be a little opaque to you, especially when it comes to the ingredients list. What are all of these ingredients, and what significance does the order they're listen in have? We're here to reveal all the answers to you, culinary adventurers. The order of ingredients on a label means more than you think.
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00:00Let's be real. If you've ever casually browsed the aisles of a grocery store, chances are
00:05you've picked up a box, bag, or bottle to inspect the chart of nutritional facts or
00:09the list of ingredients on the packaging. Perhaps you do this because you have a specific
00:13food allergy or other dietary restrictions and have turned this into an important habit.
00:19Or maybe you want to make sure the product contains or omits something in particular.
00:23Who knows?
00:24It's also possible that you're just totally and utterly curious to see exactly what's
00:28in the item you're about to toss in your cart. The food and drink labels are an extremely
00:32helpful source of information for those who want to know how many calories, carbohydrates,
00:36or fats they're consuming per serving. They're also legally required to be there.
00:41Food labels are designed in a specific way, as they have to abide by certain regulations
00:46and communicate products' nutritional contents to shoppers. Here's why food and beverage
00:50packaging labels mean way more than some people may realize.
00:54Because nutritional labels don't list ingredients alphabetically, you might wonder if the order
00:59on your label has any significance. The short answer is yes. The ingredients you see on
01:03the labels of your food are indeed sorted in a very strategic manner. According to the
01:08Food and Drug Administration, the ingredients are actually listed in order of the predominance
01:13of their weight, from most to least. In other words, the ingredient used in the greatest
01:17amount is always listed first, and the list descends from there.
01:21To keep consumers safe and satisfied, which is a top priority of food manufacturers, the
01:26U.S. government requires all of the ingredients contained in packaged foods and non-alcoholic
01:30beverages to be made 100% transparent. That way, people know what they're eating and drinking.
01:35As a matter of fact, the FDA has an official record of more than 4,000 ingredients in a
01:40massive database that's fittingly named Substances Added to Food. The database includes key information
01:46about every single legal ingredient, such as additives and coloring, that can be added
01:50to our everyday foods and drinks.
01:52As we've all seen at one point or another, some ingredients that are listed on labels
01:56have long-winded, unfamiliar, and scientific names. Every single food and drink we consume,
02:02from freshly picked fruits and raw vegetables to pure spices to factory-made snacks, meals,
02:07and liquid refreshments, is composed of a variety of chemical compounds that directly
02:12influence color, texture, flavor, and nutritional value. However, all food ingredients, including
02:18flavor and color-enhancing additives such as vitamins, minerals, sugars, dyes, emulsifiers,
02:22stabilizers, and thickeners are well-regulated by protective federal organizations. This
02:28is so that shoppers can make informed decisions about what they put into their bodies and
02:32know that each label at the store is accurate.
02:35While the term additive may seem intimidating to some consumers, it's good to know that
02:39not all additives are necessarily a bad thing. In fact, the term is widely misunderstood.
02:45Many important naturally occurring and beneficial nutrients like fiber, antioxidants, and spices
02:50are added to packaged goods in order to improve freshness, add nutritional value, and boost
02:56texture and taste, as the FDA states. Of course, it's extremely important to understand the
03:01significance of certain ingredients, as well as to be aware of the many different terms
03:05for pretty much the same thing.
03:07For example, there are various types of added sugars that can be found in different types
03:11of products, including glucose, fructose, and sucrose, plus some less common types like
03:16galactose and maltose. Sugar is usually added to foods in order to sweeten the flavor, alter
03:21the overall texture, and or extend the shelf life. And for the most part, our bodies digest
03:26most sugars in basically the same way, according to Self.
03:29In any case, ingredients are what make up the foods and drinks we love and enjoy. Whether
03:34it's in the form of a quick snack, a sustainable meal, a tiny sip or giant gulp, or a way to
03:39keep ourselves hydrated and satisfied, they are what keep us alive and healthy.
03:43Now that you know the major significance of the order of ingredients on your favorite
03:47foods and beverages labels, you can hopefully shop a bit more confidently. Fun fact, next
03:52time you pick up a package of Goldfish crackers, take a brief moment to read the label. You'll
03:56notice that the first listed item is, of course, Smiles.
04:00Happy grocery shopping!