How to Read an Ingredient List

The ingredient list tells you what a product is really made of, and it is often more revealing than the front of the package.

The order matters

Ingredients are listed from most to least by weight. The first few make up most of the product.

What to look for

• Short lists with familiar ingredients are usually easier to understand
• “Whole” grains listed first for bread and cereal
• Added sugars under different names, such as syrup or cane sugar
• Multiple types of salt or sodium ingredients in processed foods

A note on long lists

A long list is not automatically bad; many healthy foods have several ingredients. Focus instead on the top few ingredients and on how the product compares with similar ones.

Allergens

Major allergens must be listed on packaged foods in the US. If you have an allergy, read the label every time, because recipes change.

This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. See our Disclaimer.