Food Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Nutrition Labels?

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Questions:

1. Foods labelled “natural”…

a) are not processed

b) contain no artificial flavours or colours

c) are healthier

d) none of the above

2. Sweets labelled “sugar-free” are better for you.

True or False

3. If you want to buy eggs from chickens that have lived part of their life outdoors, look for packaging that says:

a) free run

b) free range

c) organic

4. All yogurt varieties improve gut health. (These are the best foods to improve your gut health.)

True or False

Answers:

1. D. Because the term “natural” is not regulated the way “organic” is, there’s no guarantee that a “natural” food product is any different from one that doesn’t use that name.

2. False. If a product is sweet but doesn’t contain sugar, it’s likely made with artificial sweeteners, and some research suggests that these sweeteners — despite having no calories — are associated with weight gain and an increase in diabetes risk.

3. Both B and C. While free-run chickens live in an open-concept barn (not in cages), only the free-range chickens have access to the outdoors. Hens that produce organic eggs are also free range, and are required to be raised according to other rules, such as being fed only organic feed and not receiving antibiotics.

4. False. If you’re looking for a yogurt to help with gut health, look for the words “live active cultures” on the label, and choose an unsweetened variety. Added sugars in yogurt can actually feed bad bacteria, causing it to flourish.

To find out how much you know about antioxidants, check out this quiz.