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Food: Food Labels that Help You Choose Better Foods

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By A.M.


So you've chosen the high road, the path less traveled. You've chosen to take ownership and responsibility over your own body.You've finally decided to start eating healthy, to be the master and decide conscientiously what goes in. One of the best ways that can greatly achieve your health goals is to start reading food labels. Following is a list of food labels and what they actually mean.

1. High/Low GI Food Labels
GI food stand for Glycemic Index (GI) which ranks food based on how fast the carbohydrate content is processed and absorbed by the blood. High GI foods quickly breaks down into sugar. Those who have blood sugar problems like borderline sugar levels, diabetic people, mothers who have gestational diabetes, etc. should choose Low GI foods in stead.

Switching to low GI grants the following benefits:

  • you feel full longer
  • you have lesser uncontrollable food cravings
  • you maintain energy levels
  • you have  more stable glucose levels


Some Low GI foods: wholegrain bread, pasta, oats. apples, dried beans and lentils,
Some High GI foods include: bread, processed cereals, short-grain rice, potato, watermelon

2. (Non) GMO Food Labels
GMOs are genetically modified organisms. These organisms are created in a lab using genetic modification techniques. The process is done on food scientists want to alter, say for example, in desiring plants that produces its own pesticide, DNA alteration may be done in which a protein killing insect is transferred and merged onto plant DNA creating a new GMO plant kind.

Due to health risks, many health experts and doctors discourage people from consuming GMO food products.

Samples of GMO foods: Corn, Soy, Sugar, and Milk top the list of GMO food products
Samples of Non-GMO food and brands are US certified here. For Australia, check here. Australian grown fruits and veggies are GM free so buy Australian. Purely Australian sourced products are also GM free.

Also know that ALL true organic products ,wherever sourced or grown are GMO free.

3. Organic Food Labels

Organic food sources and products are most healthy and safe to consume because these are:

  • free from synthetic cancer causing pesticides
  • free from roundup herbicides
  • free from neurotoxins
  • free from sewage filth, human waste, and heavy metals
  • free from growth stimulants/chemicals
  • free from harmful drugs
Organic foods are farmed GMO free all the time. Farmers never use Irradiation.

Organic foods are definitely fresher, more natural food sources as these are preservative free. There is lesser risk for cancer due to lesser exposure to artificial stuff. According to recent studies, there is also more nutrition found in organic foods.

USDA certified Organic Labels can be trusted 100%. The labeling is put on farmlands free from pesticides for at least 3 years. As for meat, animal living conditions are required to be as natural and free as what normal animal living conditions require.

Australian Certification. AO or Australian Organic is freely used in Australia. This is also because organic farming is Australia's basic way of growing food products. ACO or Australian Certified Organic is the country's legal and official certification. Businesses who want official declaration of selling true organic food stamp ACO food labels.

4. Gluten-Free Labels
Food products started using gluten-free labels initially to benefit those who live with Celiac Disease (an autoimmune disease triggered by gluten consumption). Gluten refers to food ingredients which are: wheat, barley, oats, malt, rye, and brewer's yeast. People with Celiac Disease have problems with small intestine lining and reduced ability or inability to absorb nutrients. Gluten-free labels ensure their purchase to be free from gluten.
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