Reading food labels
2 min read
Marketing lies. Labels do not. Two minutes of reading saves you from hidden carbs that would wreck a day.
What to look at
Start at the bottom: the ingredient list. If sugar, cornstarch, maltodextrin, or rice flour is in the first 5 items, skip it. Then check the nutrition panel: total carbs minus fiber = net carbs. Check serving size — the label shows per serving, not per container.
Common traps
'No added sugar' can still have 20 g carbs from fruit. 'Keto-friendly' is unregulated marketing. 'Sugar-free' often means maltitol (carbs, raises blood sugar). 'Low-fat' usually means added sugar. 'Multigrain' is still grain — still high-carb.
The 10-second rule
If a product has over 5 g net carbs per 100 g and you would eat more than a tiny portion, pass. Real keto foods rarely have labels at all — they are meat, eggs, fish, butter, cheese, and vegetables. The label section is where you stay alert.
- Net carbs = total carbs − fiber
- Check ingredient list — sugar aliases are everywhere
- 'Keto' and 'sugar-free' are marketing, not rules
- Whole foods rarely need labels