How to Read Food Labels Like a Dietitian

Simple grocery store strategies to avoid marketing traps and choose whole foods

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In Episode 162of NHA Today, guest host Kylie Buckner, RN, sits down with registered dietitian Cassandra Sampson to unpack one of the most overlooked pillars of health: the grocery store.

While many people understand the concept of eating fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains, putting that knowledge into practice can feel overwhelming. Bright packaging, bold health claims, and strategic shelf placement are designed to capture attention and influence buying decisions.

Cassandra brings a rare perspective. Early in her career, she worked inside a supermarket as a dietitian and saw firsthand the intentional marketing strategies used to drive purchases.

As she explains in the episode:

“The front of the package is a billboard. The truth is on the back.”

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The Health Halo Effect

Many products today carry labels like:

• Plant-based
• Organic
• High fiber
• Gluten-free

But a single positive attribute does not guarantee nutritional quality.

This phenomenon is known as the health halo effect, when a product appears healthy because of one marketing claim, even if it is highly processed or high in added sugar and oil.

Oreos are technically plant-based. So is soda. That doesn’t make them health-promoting.

The key is learning how to look deeper.

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The Ingredient List Matters Most

Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. The first three ingredients often tell the real story.

If the top ingredients include:

• Sugar
• Oil
• Refined flour

…it’s likely a highly processed product.

Cassandra encourages listeners to always start there.

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The “0 Grams” Labeling Loophole

One of the most eye-opening parts of this conversation is the FDA labeling rule that allows products containing less than 0.5 grams of an ingredient per serving to legally list it as “0 grams.”

This applies to trans fats and other ingredients.

If multiple servings are consumed, those small amounts add up.

Understanding serving size and servings per container is critical.

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The 5:1 Carbohydrate-to-Fiber Rule

Cassandra shares one of the most practical tools in the entire episode:

For every 5 grams of carbohydrate, there should be at least 1 gram of fiber.

Examples:

• 25g carbs → at least 5g fiber
• 30g carbs → at least 6g fiber

If you multiply the fiber by five and it equals or exceeds the total carbohydrates, the food likely mirrors a whole-food profile.

This simple rule can instantly help consumers distinguish minimally processed foods from refined ones.

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Fiber and Protein Travel Together

In whole plant foods especially legumes fiber and protein numbers are often similar.

When someone consumes adequate fiber from whole foods, they are typically getting sufficient protein as well.

This reframes the common question:
“Where do you get your protein?”

Often, the answer is: the same place you get your fiber.

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“Clothe the Carb”

Cassandra introduces another practical concept: clothing the carb.

If you eat a higher-carbohydrate food (like fruit), pairing it with fiber-rich foods slows glucose absorption and supports stable blood sugar.

Think:

• Orange slices on a leafy green salad
• Fruit alongside beans or greens

Whole fruit behaves like a “slow drip.”
Refined sugar behaves like a “flash flood.”

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The Grocery Store as Preventive Medicine

Perhaps the most powerful takeaway of this episode is this:

“The grocery store is the most important exam room.”

We may see a doctor a few times per year.
But we grocery shop weekly.

Those repeated, small decisions compound.

Long before high blood pressure or insulin resistance is diagnosed, physiological changes are already occurring often influenced by what we bring home from the store.

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Your Practical Action Step: Pantry Audit

Cassandra encourages listeners to perform a simple pantry audit:

Check:

• The first three ingredients
• Added sugar
• Fiber content
• The 5:1 carb-to-fiber ratio

Becoming an informed consumer is one of the most powerful preventive strategies available.

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About the Guest

Cassandra Sampson, RD is a registered dietitian specializing in whole-food, plant-based nutrition. She offers telehealth appointments, accepts insurance, and works with individuals seeking to improve metabolic health, energy, and long-term wellbeing.

🔗 Website: https://cassandragolden.com
📲 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutrition_nibbles_dietitian

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About the Guest Host

Kylie Buckner, RN is a nurse, health and wellness coach, and host of the Green Glow Lifestyle Podcast. Her work centers on bringing lifestyle medicine pillars into everyday life.

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About the National Health Association

The National Health Association (NHA) is the oldest health organization in the United States dedicated to evidence-based, healthful living.