There is more to an ingredient list than you realize. Processed food is designed to sell and it’s important to know their food label tricks before you decide to buy, or you may be eating something very different than you suspected.

Phantom trans fat

In the United States “zero trans fat” doesn’t really mean zero. The dangers of consuming trans fats are well known and food manufacturers are being forced to reduce these cheap oils used in packaged foods. Unfortunately for consumers, food labeling laws allow manufacturers to avoid labeling trans fat if the amount is equal or less than 0.5 grams per serving. So what to do when a serving size of 10 grams includes 1 gram of trans fat? Change the suggested serving size to 5 grams and now there is magically zero trans fat (you never paid attention to the serving size anyway)! Remember: packaged foods made with “healthy” unsaturated oils (canola, vegetable, soybean, corn) likely contain trans fats for longer shelf life even if it doesn’t show up on the label.

Sneaky sugar

We all know we are better off to avoid foods that appear high in sugar, so manufactures have developed multiple tricks to hide the sugars or make them appear lower. One trick is to shrink the serving size like with trans fats. Another trick is using multiple types of sugars or sweeteners so sugar doesn’t appear as the first and largest ingredient. Now its spread through the list as HFCS, glucose, sugar alcohols, sucralose, etc. Companies will also use processed sugar sources that sound better but are still sugar: fruit juice sugar, fruit sugar concentrate, etc. Remember: if it’s sweet, there’s probably a significant amount of sweetener inside (even if it states "zero"), and artificial sweeteners are no better for your health.

Added fiber, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics?

Do adding synthesized nutrients make junk food more nutritious? No. But it does make you feel less guilty and increase sales. Those nutrients are added because the food manufacturing process wiped out the natural nutrients. If the grains weren't processed into white flour, the fiber would still be there. If the yogurt wasn't pasteurized, the probiotics would still be there. And for the benefit of thinking it's a healthier product, the food companies charge you more. Remember: if they are adding nutrients, it's because processing took them out.

What the easiest way to avoid food label tricks?
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Avoid processed foods. The only way to totally avoid food label tricks is to choose real foods and get cooking. Tricks can be played with meats and produce as well, but not as easily as boxed or canned processed foods. And remember, the best and cheapest food is what you grow in your back yard.

Two recent studies noted surprising levels of back pain in kids and the quick damage that occurs with heavy weightlifting when performed before teenagers are fully grown.

On one hand, some find it odd that kids would require any kind of treatment for back or other musculoskeletal pains. On the other hand, a significant number of adults report childhood injuries as the starting point for their chronic or periodic episodes of back pain. These issues are becoming more frequent due to a greater focus on specialization in sports at a younger age. Two studies help provide a closer look at how common these problems are.

Back Pain Common in Kids

An analysis of American kids between the ages of 10 and 18 noted one in three had experienced back pain in just the past year. Back pain episodes were more likely for older teens, heavier teens, and those more active with competitive sports. Another factor noted was heavy backpacks, especially when worn with only one strap instead of two.

Weightlifting in Teens Linked to Spine Damage

Another study looked at the effects of heavy weightlifting in adolescents over a period of three years. At the start of the study, none had low back pain and only two had abnormal lumbar spine findings show on MRI testing. After three years of weightlifting, three athletes had low back pain and abnormal lumbar spine findings were found in 11 of 12 athletes. These findings included low back disc injuries, disc degeneration, and spondylolysis (a crack or stress fracture in part of the vertebra). These are significant problems that greatly increase the risk of future back problems.

These studies don't tell us kids must avoid sports, but they should be smart about them. One major key to staying healthy, is adequate rest. A lack of restful periods between intense activity interferes with healing and risks further injury. Avoiding sports specialization at a young age is also likely to help. Kids are generally better off with a mix of activities through the year, rather than intensely focusing on one. It's important to consider other lifestyle factors: good posture, anti-inflammation eating, and stress reduction. These all help maintain better health and lower the risk of injuries.

When an injury occurs, start with non-pharmacologic conservative treatment like chiropractic first. In most cases, this will be enough to bounce back quickly from an injury and avoid the risk of opioid medications or other higher risk treatments.