Eating Between the Lines: The Supermarket Shopper's Guide to the Truth Behind Food Labels

by Kimberly Lord Stewart

So many labels, so little time—just tell me what to buy!If you—like millions of other Americans—still don't know how to read food labels and are frustrated by the hundreds of nutrition and health claims as well as statements like free-range and grassfed, it's time to learn what you're really putting into your body…find out how to select the most healthy foods at the supermarket and still get dinner on the table by 6:00 pm with EATING BETWEEN THE LINESShopping is no longer as simple as deciding what's for dinner. Food labels like "organic," "natural," "low carb," and "fat free!" scream out at you from every aisle at the supermarket. Some claims are certified by authoritative groups such as the FDA and USDA, but much of our country's nutrition information is simply a marketing ploy. If you want to know what food labels really mean—and what they could mean to your health—EATING BETWEEN THE LINES will explain labeled "free range" may never actually see daylight --Organic seafood may be a misnomer. --The words "hormone-free" on pork, eggs and poultry is meaningless --"Low fat" cookies and "heart-healthy" cereals may contain heart damaging trans-fatty acids …and more. Organized by supermarket section, from the vegetable aisle to the dairy case, EATING BETWEEN THE LINES also features more than seventy actual food labels and detachable shopping lists for your convenience—and to help bring the best food to the table for you and your family.

Genres: Nonfiction

356 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 6, 2007

Reviews

[Michelle Wright · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has a ton of technical errors. The author clearly does not understand the difference between FSIS, AMS and FDA because they refer to AMS as USDA which a true insider never does. When in reality dairy labeling is regulated by FDA not AMS. AMS only has authority over the PMO and implementation of dairy regulations. The author also has no understanding of standard of identities and how they work. In the cheese labeling section, the author describes cheeses but never mentions that the moisture and protein is regulated as part of the FDA standard of identity. It is glyphosate not glycophosphate. If you are going to talk about chemicals, it is imperative to get the name right. Trans fat is partially hydrogenated fats. Fully hydrogenated fats are saturated fats. I did not finish the book because I was so frustrated with all the technical mistakes in the book.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prety simplistic.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a comprehensive resource for navigating the oft-confusing language used on food labels … definitely useful if you've ever wondered about the difference between cage-free or free-range eggs, what types of seafood are highest in mercury, or whether you should be concerned about artificial hormones in animal products (hint: yes for red meat and dairy, no for chicken). Stewart sorts through the hype and deciphers which claims are worth the associated extra cost and which are just marketing ploys. Although the information here provides a thorough overview of the farming and processing practices behind various food labels (and sometimes the environmental repercussions), it is less concerned with the health implications of these practices. You may need to look elsewhere if you are interested in the health benefits of grass-fed beef or raw milk, as issues such as these are beyond the scope of this already information-packed book. My only real criticism is that Stewart peppers the narrative with anecdotes of her own relationship with food and experiences as a farmer's daughter – presumably in an attempt to make the predominantly scientific information more palatable to the average reader – but these accounts seem unnecessary and often fall flat of the humorous tone she seems to be striving for.

[AuthorsOnTourLive! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kimberly Stewart, contributor for Natural Home Magazine and editor-in-chief of Dining Out Magazine is the recipient of two Association of Food Journalists awards for Food News Reporting in 2004 and the Jesse Neal Business Journalism Award in 2002. Stewart discusses her new book Eating Between the Lines: The Supermarket Shopper's Guide to the Truth Behind Food Labels.

We met Kimberly Lord Stewart when she visited the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver. You can listen to her talk about Eating Between the Lines: The Supermarket Shopper's Guide to the Truth Behind Food Labels here:
http://www.authorsontourlive.com/?p=96

[Christy Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is great. Its about how to really figure out whats in the food we buy. I got it for free from Annies, www.annies.com, if you have not tried their mac and cheese, you need to. Its good stuff, the cheddar bunnies are good too. I got it for free with 2 box tops :), very cool! This book was written by a woman who lives in Longmont Co I think, and contributes to lots of magazines and newspapers. So far its a really good read, I am learning a lot.

[Lauren Larry · Rating 1 out of 5]

another graduate school requirement

I’m not quite sure why this was required reading for a class. It’s old, poorly as all of the other reviews (on the Zon ) have stated. Only read this if you have to, read something anything more updated and accurate. She makes a point to tell the reader she’s a centrist and speaks of her conservative roots, because “you don’t have to change your politics without changing how you eat”. She states this sentiment over and over again.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an incredible resource! KLS tells great backstories and gives all of the label information straightforward without being too preachy. Everyone should have this on hand to be able to reference and help make smart, ethical and healthy choices at the grocery store. It may be a little outdated at this point, but still provides some very good information to build a foundation.

[Heather Harris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Standard, conventional. was nice to clear up labeling comprehension but when she preaches nutrition and health I was not impressed. It has been widely recognized that the governments food recommendations are not in touch with the latest research- why this author relies heavily on them, I do not know.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a lot of good information and was well laid out and easy to follow. I learned some basic things about labeling and what it actually means on different food packages. This book was written 6 years ago so some of the information may not be valid anymore as would be expected.

[Stephy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a pretty informative book, but it can also be a little dry in spots. I think that I learned some stuff, but I'm not sure that it was still relevant. Some of what she wrote about is a little out of date and might not be as important to know about as what is more relevant and timely.