Much is made of the "Nutrition Facts" label on food packaging. This is a helpful resource when trying to figure out how many calories or protein grams something contains. Just underneath that nutrition label, though, is the ingredient list, which plays a crucial role in helping you determine if you can eat a food due to food allergies or other dietary requirements. Ingredients are not listed at random, and their order and surrounding information will help you decide if you want to eat that food or not.
Step 1
Look at the order of the ingredients. These are listed in order of amount, meaning the more there is of an ingredient, the closer to the top of the list it will be.
Step 2
Read through the ingredient list and look for allergens. Food manufacturers in the U.S. are required to note if any of the ingredients belong to the eight most common allergens--soy, peanuts, milk, wheat, eggs, tree nuts, fish and shellfish--either by listing them at the end or calling them out within the ingredient list. You should see either a concise list at the end of the ingredient section, or parenthetical notes beside the ingredient. Allergenic ingredients are sometimes listed by other names, notes the Virginia Cooperative Extension, such as "whey" instead of "milk." For that ingredient, you'll see either a statement at the end saying the food contains milk, or you'll see the word "milk" in parentheses next to the word "whey."
Step 3
Search the ingredient list for items to which you might be sensitive, such as sulfites. Look for all forms of the name; for example, if you are sensitive to sulfites, look for additional names such as sodium metabisulfite. If you see one of these names in the list, avoid the food.
Step 4
Inspect the ingredient list for anything that might contain gluten, if you have a sensitivity. Note that the absence of wheat does not always mean the absence of gluten. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notes that "natural flavor" and "caramel color" are two examples of ingredients that might contain gluten even though they look like they have nothing to do with wheat. The FDA does state that if you see the words "starch" or "dextrin," these are typically from gluten-free sources "unless otherwise stated on the food label." Gluten is not singled out in the ingredient list because, as the FDA notes in a 2007 proposal listed on the Federal Register website, you can't tell if there has been gluten cross-contamination from another product.
Step 5
Read the first three ingredients. Clemson Cooperative Extension says to pay close attention to these and to not eat the food if the first ingredient is sugar.
Step 6
Read through the ingredients to find items you are trying to avoid for one reason or another, such as salt if you are on a low-sodium diet. These could also include hydrogenated fats or foods you avoid for dietary or religious reasons.
Step 7
Inspect the end of the list again. Look for the phrase "Contains 2% or less of." The Minnesota Department of Agriculture says if ingredients form less than 2 percent of the recipe by weight, they can be piled into one section at the end.
Tips and Warnings
- If you find you're allergic or sensitive to a particular ingredient, do all you can to educate yourself on the different forms it can take and memorize those names. Always check food labels, even for foods you regularly eat, because ingredients can change without warning.
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