Reading food labels can feel confusing. Big claims on the front of the pack often sound convincing. Words like “natural”, “low-fat” or “keto” are everywhere. But most of the time, they do not tell you how that food will actually affect your body. Especially your blood sugar and overall metabolic health. Many of us focus on calories or fat alone. But blood sugar spikes, crashes and constant cravings often come from what is hidden inside packaged foods. This is where reading labels properly starts to matter.
Dr Saurabh Sethi, a California-based gastroenterologist trained in AIIMS, Harvard, and Stanford Universities, shared a detailed post on Instagram explaining how to read food labels the right way. His focus was clear. Stop trusting the front of the package, and start reading the ingredient list.
Also Read: From Masala Oats To Flavoured Dahi: 10 Everyday Indian Foods With Hidden Sugar And Oil
Start With The Ingredient List
Dr Sethi pointed out that the ingredient list matters more than any claim on the front. “Natural”, “low-fat” or “keto” does not mean blood sugar-friendly. Ingredients do.
Ingredients are listed by weight. This means the first three ingredients make up most of the product. If sugar, refined starch, or refined oil appears early, that food is likely to cause blood sugar fluctuations.
The Low-Fat Trap
One key warning from his post was about low-fat and fat-free foods. When fat is removed, something else replaces it. Most of the time, that is sugar or starch. As Dr Sethi explained, this trade-off often worsens glucose spikes instead of helping them.
Short Ingredient Lists Are Better
A simple rule he shared is this. The shorter the ingredient list, the better. If you cannot recognise most of the ingredients, the food is likely heavily processed. Simple foods usually lead to steadier blood sugar levels.
Also Read: Buy More, Spend Less - 5 Effective Tips To Reduce Your Grocery Bill... By A Ton!
Watch Out For Hidden Sugar
Sugar does not always show up as “sugar”. Dr Sethi highlighted how it hides under many names. Cane sugar, dextrose, corn syrup, rice syrup, fruit juice concentrate and maltodextrin all do the same thing.
Look For Fibre
Fibre plays a big role in blood sugar control. Dr Sethi suggested looking beyond total carbs and checking fibre. You can calculate net carbs by subtracting fibre from total carbs. Fibre slows digestion and helps reduce spikes.
Balance Matters
Carbs eaten alone cause faster glucose spikes. But carbs eaten with protein, fibre and fat lead to a steadier response. Dr Sethi encouraged choosing foods that combine all four.
What To Choose?
According to Dr Sethi's post, better choices usually have:
– Short, recognisable ingredient lists
– Whole foods as the base
– Minimal or no added sugars
– A mix of protein, fibre and fat
Also Read: 5 Tips For Making Healthy Grocery Choices Online
Reading labels does not have to be stressful. It just needs attention in the right place.