To wonder why food traffic light coding doesn't include carbs

[Applebite]

So you get red, amber or green for fat, sat fat, salt and sugar - but no carbs. Surely carbs turn to glucose/raise blood sugar anyway, so why not flag the carb content instead?

(I get that the real reason is prob because they'll flag the bare minimum, but in that case why aren't they told to flag carbs?!)

[trinity0097]

Because the food industry wants to bury the evidence that the eatwell plate is flawed, as their profits depend on carbs being eaten! Take a bread manufacturer, they don't want to admit that carbs are a problem!

[early30smum]

The one I wish was on there is 'free' or 'added' sugar. E.g. Yogurt, some sugar is naturally occurring, some is not- I'd like to know how many grams is added or not naturally occurring. Food labeling is very confusing.

[Rhayader]

You are correct in saying that they will flag the bare minimum. It's not included in the governments nutrient profiling model which is a model for deciding the healthiness of a product.

This is based on:

Energy
Salt
Sugar
Protein
Fibre
Sat fat
%fruit/veg/nut

The model is pretty old now and tbh if it was being designed again I would imagine they might include carbs. We seem to be moving away from thinking as fat as the biggest problem and not focusing on sugar and carbs.

[bagpackbagpack]

Because carbohydrates are mostly really good for you, it's the sugars that are bad.

Carbs = sugar but also energy

NEVER cut carbs out it a diet long term, unless you have health reasons, but if not and you want to feel like death warmed up be my guest!

If your on a diet or carb cutting I would suggest looking at a macro nutrient diet where you track protein and fats too.

I think the biggest question is what protein isnt in food packaging?

[bagpackbagpack]

Stupid iPad, but carbs are good, sugar bad, protein really good, but not on packaging! Synopsis of my post!

[Rhayader]

Protein is on packaging but on the back (unfortunately).

[bagpackbagpack]

I know, I think it should be in the front though! I spend too long looking online or packaging comparing sat fat v protein!

[Rhayader]

Yeah it's annoying. Without going into too much detail I have actually scored 10s of thousands of products for their relative healthiness based on their nutrients. The data is all available in supermarkets databases but its deemed to confusing to display to customers.

The traffic light system is easy and by cutting down the number of things included it's meant to be less confusing and more accessible to the most vulnerable people. The traffic light showing how sugary that "fat free yogurt" is will make a big difference for a lot of people.

[AccioMerlot]

I know, it pisses me off that the stuff I don't care about is on the front and I have to dissect the small print to find out protein and carbs.

[Applebite]

It's all fairly new to me - I grew up assuming pasta and rice were fat free and therefore ok. I got fat though!

Then I had GD and really began to learn about blood glucose. I'm still fat and I still worry about developing type 2, but I have cut out lots of things; I barely eat rice or bread as they seemed to be worst when I was pg. I still eat pasta and too much chocolate though. I was thinking about that as I've started trying to lose weight more seriously in the last few weeks - and it just seems to me that people who are trying to cut down a bit of weight or just be healthy might not realise how carb heavy something is. There is a difference between not actually low carbing and unwittingly scarfing 100g of carbs in one sitting, surely?!

Damn tasty carbs :(

[bookbuddy]

It's the sugar content that increase the carb values so if it's high sugar it's a unhealthy carb i.e. White bread -high sugar / Granary bread- low sugar so the granary has lower carb value check out low GI index.

[bagpackbagpack]

OP did your parents following SW etc? The most important thing to remember is if food creates energy, as measured in fats, sugars and calories and you dont expend the same amount. You will get fat..

For the people who follow SW this is why it's DOESNT teach about nutrition.

If you eat lean protein, lots of fibrous veg, and some good fats (from cheese and milk), carbs and sugar (from starchy veg and whole grain foods) , you will feel energetic, want to be on the move and also be eatung more than you can burn.

Not a preacher, I am fat! Lifestyle and circumstances get in my way, as well as my fuck it mentality!

Unfortunately there is no quick fixes in life, just our boring biology...

[bagpackbagpack]

*eating and eating less than you burn

Hate my ipad!