Cutting the Fat and Sugar — Read the Box (Fox13)

I recently had the opportunity to appear on Fox13 Memphis to talk about something I am passionate about — helping people understand what they are actually putting in their bodies. The segment was all about reading nutrition labels, and I jumped at the chance because this is one of the biggest blind spots I see with clients at Dexter Tenison Fitness.

The Label Tells the Truth (Even When the Front of the Box Lies)

Food companies are brilliant at marketing. They slap words like "natural," "low-fat," "heart-healthy," and "made with real fruit" on the front of the package to make you feel good about buying it. But the real story is on the back — the nutrition facts label and the ingredients list. That is where you find out what you are really eating.

How to Spot Hidden Sugar

Sugar hides behind dozens of names on ingredient lists. High fructose corn syrup is the obvious one, but watch out for dextrose, maltose, sucrose, cane juice, agave nectar, and anything ending in "-ose." I showed viewers on Fox13 some common grocery store items that look healthy but contain more sugar per serving than a candy bar. Yogurt, granola bars, flavored oatmeal, salad dressings — the sugar is everywhere if you are not paying attention.

Fat Is Not Always the Enemy

Here is something that surprises a lot of people: when companies remove fat from a product, they almost always add sugar to make it taste good. That "low-fat" label might mean "high-sugar" in disguise. I tell my clients at Dexter Tenison Fitness to compare the full-fat and low-fat versions of the same product. You might be better off with a smaller portion of the real thing than a large serving of the sugar-loaded alternative.

My Three Label-Reading Rules

Check the serving size first. Companies use tiny serving sizes to make the numbers look better. A bag of chips might say 150 calories per serving, but if the serving is only ten chips and you eat half the bag, you just consumed 600 calories without thinking about it.

Read the ingredients list. Ingredients are listed in order by weight. If sugar or any of its aliases is in the first three ingredients, put it back on the shelf.

Ignore the front of the package. Seriously. The front is advertising. The back is facts. Train yourself to flip the box over before it goes in your cart.

Knowledge Is Power

I am grateful to Fox13 for giving me the platform to share this message with Memphis. At the end of the day, you cannot make good food choices if you do not understand what you are buying. Take an extra thirty seconds in the grocery store, read the label, and make an informed decision. That small habit will do more for your health than any crash diet or detox tea ever could.