Does the Red Label Really Help Us Choose Healthier Foods?

The Ministry of Health decided to label food products to increase consumer awareness about what they are putting into their bodies. This initiative is undoubtedly important and commendable.

However, consumers should carefully examine these labels, not rely solely on them, and use their judgment before purchasing food products.

The designated components for labeling are saturated fat, sugar, and sodium (salt content). Yet, there are other components, equally harmful if not more so—like artificial sweeteners, food coloring, white flour, fried foods, and more. These have not been tagged by the Ministry of Health, and they do not receive a red label despite their significant harm to the body.

Fried snacks produced in oil that has been extensively heated—which creates free radicals absorbed into the snack—do not get a red label despite their health risks because manufacturers slightly reduce the salt content to be below the defined threshold. This way, they manage to categorize themselves as non-labeled, seemingly healthy food.

Sugar-free cookies containing harmful artificial sweeteners, white flour, and even margarine in amounts below the set threshold will not get a red label because they contain no sugar.

Conversely, 80% dark chocolate with less sugar made the red label cut. Even a natural snack made of dates and nuts or peanuts, containing natural sugar, gets flagged, although it's a good choice for those without blood sugar balance issues.

Israel tops global sugar consumption charts. Sugar is pervasive in processed foods and sugary drinks. To avoid the label, manufacturers replace some sugar with other sweeteners and harmful substances. This way, we get the taste without sugar, oil, or salt exceeding the threshold.

Sipping on sugary drinks comes at a hefty price. It's essential to know that even when using sweeteners to cut calories, the supposed savings might not occur, as consumers might compensate by consuming more calories from other food sources.

Whenever we decide for our health and our family’s, and determine what comes into our home, it's crucial first to know what the food contains and what to avoid. Most importantly, understand what manufacturers and marketers prefer we don't find out.

Zohara Shavit is a Naturopath N.D. and a certified iridologist with many years of experience in treatment, counseling, and workshop facilitation. To book a free workshop, call 073-2221290