Well, a new study suggests you maythinkyou're good about checking, but you really don't pay as much attention as you think you do.
"The results of this study suggest that consumers have afinite attention span for Nutrition Facts labels: although most consumers did view labels, very few consumers viewed every component on any label," the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities researchers said in a statement. "These results differed from the self-reported survey responses describing typical grocery shopping and health behaviors submitted by the participants."
For the study, 203 people looked at 64 grocery store items on a computer screen. There were three elements on the screen for each item: the Nutrition Facts label, the description of the item including its price and quantity, and a picture of the item and a list of its ingredients. A third of the study participants saw the Nutrition Facts element on the left side of the screen, a third of them saw it on the right side and a third of them saw it in the middle. Then, researchers asked the study participants to say whether they would think about buying the product.
Researchers found that 33 percent of people said that they usually looked at the Nutrition Facts on food packages, 31 percent said they usually look at total fat, and 20 percent said they usually look at trans fat. Twenty-four percent said they usually look at sugar, and 26 percent said they usually look at the serving sizes.
But using eye-tracking technology, researchers found that just 9 percent of the people in the study looked at the calories of the products, and just 1 percent looked at the other things (fats, sugar, etc.).
In addition, researchers found that 61 percent of the people read the Nutrition Facts when they were in the middle of the computer screen, while just 37 percent read them when they were on the left side and 34 percent read them when they were on the right side.
"Any research that adds to our understanding of what wouldencourage consumers to use the information providedis welcomed," a UK Food and Drink Federation spokesperson told BBC News. However, she added that the transferability of the finding is still unknown because the study is computer-based.
Confused about nutrition labels, and othernutrition buzzwords? Click through this slideshow for definitions of some commonly used terms and phrases.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances that sop up free oxygen molecules, which some believe may prevent the damage that occurs naturally through daily life to our cells and DNA. When our tissue comes into contact with oxygen as we breathe and eat, a process called "oxidation" occurs which can set off a reaction that permanently damages cells -- and even DNA -- within your body. Although this is a lot of science talk, oxidative stress may contribute to the development of a host of conditions -- including cancer, cataracts, arthritis, stroke and heart disease. Antioxidants may contribute to the prevention of oxidative stress. Some of the most common antioxidants include Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Uric Acid and Melatonin. They can be ingested naturally through certain foods or be taken in supplement form.
Calories
Calorie is a fairly straightforward term -- a calorie is simply a unit of measurement of energy. One calorie is one unit of energy, specifically the energy it takes to raise the temperature of one cubic centimeter of water by one degree (Celcius). When it comes to food, what we refer to as calories are actually kilocalories, measuring an amount of energy that is 1,000 times larger than a calorie in scientific terms. So the calories that we see on our food labels are really indicating the amount of energy that will be released into our body when that food product reacts with oxygen. Fats, carbohydrates and proteins have the greatest amount of calories, generally.
Omega-3s
Omega-3 fatty acids are a particular type of essential unsaturated fatty acids. These fatty acids cannot be produced naturally in the human body but are necessary for your body's metabolism, meaning that the only way to get them is by eating foods that contain them or by taking a supplement. Omega-3s naturally occur in fatty fish (i.e. tuna, albacore, salmon etc.) as well as algae, krill and some nut oils. There is some evidence that Omega-3s can boost brain function and put you at less risk for development of chronic health conditions. The name "Omega-3" comes from the fact that these fat molecules with more than one double bond have the first double bond after the third carbon -- starting at the "omega" end of the molecule.
Macronutrients And Micronutrients
Simply, macronutrients are nutrients consumed in amounts large enough for the human eye to see. "Micro"nutrients would generally require a microscope to be seen. Foods made up of macronutrients also contain micronutrients.
Unsaturated Fat vs. Saturated Fat
The difference between unsaturated and saturated fats lies in their chemical make-up. The easiest way to think about it is that saturated fats are, in fact, "saturated" with hydrogen. Unsaturated fats are not. Chemically speaking, fats are made up of what is called "fatty acid chains" -- sets of atoms linked together. When these chains contain at least one double bond (which gets rid of hydrogen atoms in that part of the chain), they are considered unsaturated. Saturated fats are more likely to come from animal sources, while unsaturated fats often come from plant-based foods. Saturated fats are also solid at room temperature, while unsaturated fats are liquid. Generally, saturated fats are considered to be agents of high cholesterol while the opposite is true for unsaturated fats. Foods with higher proportions of saturated fats include: butter, lard, coconut oil and milk. Foods with higher proportions of unsaturated fats include: olive oil, avocado, sunflower oil and corn.
Trans-Fat
Trans-fats are essentially unsaturated fats that have been transformed to be more like saturated fats. Although some trans-fats can be naturally found in animal products, most trans-fats are created by humans through a process called "hydrogenation." Hydrogenation is an industrial process that adds hydrogen molecules to unsaturated fats in order to make them solid at room temperature. The most classic example of a solidified trans-fat is Crisco. These fats are certainly NOT heart healthy.
Complex Carbohydrates
The topic of complex carbs is a controversial one. One theory is that complex carbohydrates refer to carbs that occur naturally (i.e. starchy fruits and vegetables, and whole grains). Refined carbohydrates are foods that contain sugars that have been chemically altered by humans -- i.e. pretty much any junk food or soda, as well as white rice and white bread. Dietary guidelines recommend that we get a large portion of our calories from complex carbs. Of course, not all complex carbohydrates are created equal. The healthiest sources of complex carbohydrates are: legumes, brown rice, whole wheat (and other whole grains), potatoes, corn, broccoli and spinach.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids are compounds found in plants that act as antioxidants -- potentially protecting your internal cells from permanent damage when they come into contact with oxygen. In plants, flavonoids are what give many flowers their rich hue. Flavonoids naturally occur in many fruits and vegetables including blueberries, strawberries, apple skins, broccoli, cabbage and onions. You can also find them in certain teas, red wines and dark chocolate. They are thought to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Go forth and eat your berries -- and other richly-colored foods!
Phytochemicals
Phytochemicals refer to a vast range of plant-based chemical compounds. While these compounds are not considered essential for human nutrition, many are believed to possess health-boosting properties. Antioxidants fall under the category of phytochemicals. Some phytochemicals that are often brought up in nutritional discourse include beta-carotene and folic acid.
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