SLC-S23/W3 | Nutritional labels

Hi Dear Friends, How are you? I hope you all are fine and doing great work. Today I'm take participate in this learning challenge SLC-S23/W3 | Let's learn about nutritional labels. I would like say thanks @nahela and @franyeligonzalez who organized this wonderful learning challenge.

Yes, Definitely for me, As a Food Technologist and a Quality Analyst, I have main interest and focus on nutritional table. I definitely check the labels and ingredients of products that I consume and use in my daily life. So let's start,

When we purchase products, especially food items, cosmetics, or for cleaning , many of people from us may not pay too much believed on the ingredients and labels, these are very significant to check the label to make sure that the purchased product is safe and suitable for us.

The purpose is that the product might have chemicals or substances that could be harmful for human health, especially if you have allergies or dietary essentials. Checking the ingredients helps us to know that what we are placing on ur skin or in our body.
For example: If you are trying to live a healthy or if you are avoiding certain ingredients like sugar or gluten.

Why Checking Labels Is Important

• Better Diet: For people who are motivated on maintaining a healthy life style and preceding or eating specific diets ( like low sugar, vegan, or organic), labels help them make sure that align with their pretensions. Labels give information to their consumer about the nutritive content or value of the product that we purchased, like calories, sugar content, fats.

Example: If we are trying to lose your whole bodu weight and want to restrictions or cut down on our sugar, we definitely check the labels of drinks, snacks or any products that we purchase, to make sure product don't have high levels of sugar.

• Health and Safety: Many products that available in local or elite class market that have ingredients that may not be suitable for human health. For example, some food items hold allergens ingredients like nuts, gluten, or dairy, which can be dangerous to people with allergies. Similarly, skincare products might contain chemicals that could irritate sensitive skin people from us. By checking labels, we can definitely avoid harmful substances that may affect our body health.
  Example: Imagine you have gluten allergies. If you buy a packaged snack or any products without make sure the label, it might hold gluten. But if you check the ingredients on label, you can must avoid this.

• Environmental Reasons: Some people are afraid about the environmental applies of companies or the environmental impact of products they purchase. Labels can indicate that products are Free from cruelty, vegan, or sustainably. which helps us to make decisions that align with their values.
  Example: A person who prefers to buy Free from cruelty products would check the label for about certifications.

Individual Example:

We are buying a bottle of shampoo. The label will tell, the shampoo is free from sulfate, which is essential for people who have sensitive skin or those who want to avoid chemicals.we might also notice ingredients like parabenes which people choose to escape because they believe these chemicals may be harmful. By checking the label we make a decision about whether this product is right for us.

The importance of labels is usually clear, especially when it comes on our health and on our safety, and making environmental decisions.

• Health: Labels are important to check for allergens items or injurious ingredients, like preservers or artificial colors used for enhance, which might be harmful for our health.

• Dietary Needs: If we are succeeding a specific diet (like vegan, free from gluten), labels help us to pick the right products.

• Ethical Anxieties: Labels can also inform us about whether a product is cruelty free product, ecologically friendly, or sustainably obtained.
  So, Importance is clear, its help us to informed selections, avoid injurious substances, and align our purchases with values.

• Energy

The product provides consumer 64 kcal (267 kJ) per 100 ml, contributing to 3% of the adult daily average calorie needs. (Based on a 2000 kcal diet).

• Fat

Olpers hold 3.5g of fat in total per 100ml, which makes up 5% of the daily fat requirement. The saturated fat in this product is 2.3g contributing 12% of the daily requirement of adult.

• Carbohydrates

Olpers has 5.4g of carbohydrates, with all of it get from sugars. This makes up 6% of the daily sugar intake.

• Protein

Olpers has 2.7g of protein, which contribute for 5% of the daily intake of protein.

• Sodium

There is 0.05g of sodium, give or donate to 2% of the daily intake of sodium requirement of our body.

• Calcium

Pepsi cola contains 120mg of calcium, contributing or donate 12% of highly sensible daily calcium intake.

• Vitamins

Vitamin B2 Provides 0.2mg, that is 13% of the daily requirement of our body.
Vitamin B12 Provides 0.4µg, which is 18% of the daily intake requirement of our body that is too important for the production of energy.

Understanding the importance of checking labels or ingredient of product is easy, interpreting them properly also easy, especially when it originates to more complex ingredients and nutritional facts. Here is how we can interpret labels:

• Ingredients List: Ingredients are mostly mention in order form to largest quantity to the smallest quantity. For example, if calories are the first ingredient, the product have a lot of calories and mention on the top.

It is important to know that indicate unhealthy flavors like high level fructose syrup of corn, hydrogenated oils, and artificial colors.

Sympathetic scientific terms can help some ingredients might complex but are innocent or not injurious to health, while others may be injurious (like Sodium benzoate is a preservative that people avoid).

• Nutritional Facts:

• The nutritional section that is usually includes info on serving size, calories, fats, sugars, proteins. If you are observing your daily calorie intake, you will focus on calories.

• Serving size , mostly people over looked that the nutritional facts are based on a per serving, and a product may have multiple servings.

Certifications:

• Identifying certifications products are organic, free from gluten or Halal certified can help you identify products.

Individual Example of Interpret the label:

If we are buying a snack and the label inform us natural flavor. At first look, this might seem healthy for us.. However, if you joint deeper into the ingredient list, we are might find additives likeArtificial colors. This is the ability to interpret the label that helps us to understand that
natural does not essentially mean the product is free of injurious chemicals.

So first let's discuss about simple definition of processed and ultra processed products.

• Processed foods are different for preservation but still maintain a important connection to their original, entire form and are generally more nutritious.

• Ultra-processed foods are highly changed by added chemicals, preservatives, and artificial ingredients. They are less nourishing and often offer less health benefits compared to minimally processed or whole foods.

Comelle Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter) is considered and also type of a processed product. Here's why,

Processed vs Ultra-Processed Product

Processed

(Clarified Butter) is commonly made by clarifying butter. This process involve thawing cow milk butter and separating the solid particles of milk from the liquid fat, leaving behind the clarified butter.

This is a simple process and doesn’t require any addition of Artificial chemicals or Preservatives.

Comelle Desi Ghee is generally made by using traditional or common methods, although it may suffer some of industrial processing to ensure thickness, quality parameters, and safety and regulation like filtering or packaging of product.

Ultra-Processed

Ultra processed foods contain Artificial ingredients, Preservatives, and Addition of flavor enhancers.

• Comelle Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter), unless or without contains any type artificial flavorings, colors, or preservatives, so this is not considered as Ultra-processed.

Why Comelle Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter) is Processed

• It is made through Clarification method, which is a traditional method of preparing ghee.(Clarified Butter)

• It is only a Single ingredient product (chiefly or mainly made from pure milk butter).

In upper given pictures you can see that I have choose Olpers milk as a ultra processed product. So let's discuss about it,

• UHT (Ultra High Temperature) Processing

Olpers milk suffers or pas from UHT processing, which heats the milk at too high temperatures (about 135-154°C) for few seconds. This process is mainly done to kills bacteria and extends milk shelf life, but it also changes the natural form of milk and nutritional value of the milk.

• Ingredients:

Olpers milk contain added vitamins (like Vitamin D), preservatives, to improve taste and texture, and increase the shelf life of milk. These ingredients are not naturally present in fresh milk but added during processing.

• Packaging:

The milk is packed in aseptic packaging, which allows it to continue shelf unchanging without refrigeration until milk opened. This long shelf life is additional characteristic of ultra-processed.

• Transformed Form:

Starts as regular milk, the high temperature processing and packaging method significantly change its exact form. The end product is removed from the natural and fresh stage of milk.

Conclusion: Olpers milk is classify as ultra processed because it go through UHT processing, hold added ingredients, and is packaged in a way that increases its shelf life, making it different from fresh.

Given images shows the Nutritional label for Comelle Desi Ghee. Let's breakdown what the label tells us:

• Energy: 125 kcal

This is the total amount of energy (calories) we will get from 1 tablespoon of ghee.

• Total Fat: 14g (20% Daily Value)

Total amount of fat in 1 tablespoon of ghee. 20% of our daily value of fat that intake from just this small 1tbsp serving, so you should consume ghee in moderation.

• Saturated Fat: 9g (40% DV)

Saturated fat you want to must keep in check, because it can raise cholesterol levels in our body. This product provides 40% of the recommended daily value of saturated fat in just 1 tablespoon.

• Cholesterol: 35mg (11% DV)

Cholesterol content is common, and consuming high amounts of cholesterol may affect heart health if you are not careful in use.

• Milk Fat: 99.5%
  The main ingredient is milk fat, that is why ghee is very high in calories and fat.

• *Moisture: 0.5% Max
  Ghee is purely fat, with minimal level of moisture content.

• Ingredients: Milk Fat
  This tells you that the product's only ingredient is milk fat (no preservatives, artificial colors or flavors added).

Pepsi is considered as a Unhealthy for many reasons, mostly when it consumed frequently or in substantial amounts.

• High Sugar Content

A standard 250 ml can of Pepsi contains approximately 26.25 gm of sugar. This amount is significant, considering that the World Health Organization (WHO). Daily consumption of sugar to approximately 25 grams per day for an adult. Over intake of sugar can result in weight gain, increased risk of diabetes, and heart disease*.

• Empty Calories

Pepsi offers calories, it is Lacking of essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, or fiber. As a result, you are consuming empty calories that provide no nutritional benefit.

• Increased Risk of Health Issues

Daily basis of consumption of sugary drinks like Pepsi has been linked to an increased risk of obesity. Excess sugar can also contribute to tooth disease and erosion of tooth enamel..

• Artificial Ingredients

Pepsi cola is full with artificial sweeteners, color additives, and preservatives, which are less than best for our health, especially when consumer consumed in large quantities

• Caffeine

Pepsi cola contain caffeine, when which it is consumed at high level, can lead to dehydration, insomnia, and an increased heart disease rate.

So yes, we can say that Pepsi is one from unhealthy mostly when consumed daily basis or frequently.

Here is a delicious and special recipe according to me, using healthy ingredients.

This snack of Dried ripe grapes(raisins), Dates, Almonds, Pista, Honey, and Yogurt this will definitely create a tasteful and flavorful, nutritious, and one of the best energy boosting healthy snack.

Recipe: Greek Yogurt, Dried Grapes, Dates, Almonds, Pistachios, and Honey

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 Cup Greek yogurt (unsweetened)
• Dried ripe grapes (raisins)
• 2-3 dates
• 5-7 Almonds
• 5-7 Pistachios
• 2 Tablespoons Honey

Recipe Instructions:

• Preparing of Yogurt: Put 1 cup of Greek yogurt into bowl. As you know yogurt is creamy and a great source of protein.

• Add Honey: Place 1-2 tablespoons of honey over the yogurt. Honey will add a natural sweetness in Yogurt.

• Chop Dates and Nuts: Convert the dates, almonds, and pistachios into small pieces.

• Mix all Ingredients: Add the dried grapes (raisins), dates, almonds, and pistachios in to the yogurt. Commonly mix or leave them on top layered snack.

Optional: If you like, you can put a little honey on top.

Whisk all aspects together to combine or keep it layered on top best appealing presentation. Now Enjoy your Nutty Date Yogurt

Now this is end of my post hope you really like my effort for this learning challenge. At the of my post I would like to invite @suboohi, @faran-nabeel, @ashkhan to participate in this learning challenge as soon as possible. At the again I would like say thanks for reading and reviewing my post.

Best Regards,
Abdul Sameer