Reading Food Labels: Get Up And Do Something

Reading Food Labels

One important skill to have when you are trying to select healthy foods is being able to read and understand a food label. The Food and Drug Administration decides what needs to be listed on each food label, and once you understand those basics you will be able to read food labels on all types of products.

Serving Size: The serving size per container should be the first thing you look at when selecting a product. There are many products that you may think are only one serving, but actually contain 2 or more servings per container. The serving size gives you an idea of portion size and how much is appropriate to eat.

Check Calories: All products must list the calorie amount and calories from fat. By looking at the serving size and then the calorie amount you can get an idea if that product is a high calorie product, with a low-calorie product have 40 calories or less. Checking the calories from fat also gives you an idea of how many of the calories you are eating are coming from fat.

Limit These Nutrients: Total fat, Saturated Fat, Trans Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium should all be limited in your diet because too many of these nutrients can increase your risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancers. Total fat grams and the percentage of Daily Value give you an idea of how that product is contributing to your daily fat intake. Remember you should be trying to limit your calories from fat to 30% of your daily intake. Recommended guidelines indicate that you should limit your saturated fat intake to 10% of your daily calories. There are no specific number guidelines for trans fat, however it is recommended that you eat as little trans fat as possible. If you are looking for a product that is low-fat, low-saturated fat, low-cholesterol and low-sodium you can use the guidelines listed below.

Low-Fat: 3 grams or less per serving
Low-Saturated Fat: 1 gram or less per serving
Low-Cholesterol: 20 milligrams or less and 2 grams or less of saturated fat
Low-Sodium: 140 milligrams or less per serving

Get Enough of These Nutrients: Many Americans do not get enough of these nutrients in their diet. A product low in all these nutrients and high in the fats category indicates that it may not be a very ‘nutrient-dense’ product.

Dietary Fiber: Most American need more fiber in their diets, with recommendations stating that 25g/daily is optimal. Soluble fiber is the type of fiber that helps lower cholesterol levels. Insoluble fiber is the type of fiber that helps keeps the digestive system healthy promoting regular bowl movements.
Vitamin A: Vitamin A plays an important role in many body functions including cell-division, vision and bone growth. Vitamin A is found in foods such as eggs, milk, liver, darkly colored fruits and vegetables, and is also fortified (or added) to many other food products. Adequate amounts of Vitamin A are healthy, but very large amounts of Vitamin A can be toxic. A balanced diet should provide all the Vitamin A your body needs.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C is involved in the growth and repair of many tissues in your body, as well other functions. Vitamin C is found in all fruits and vegetables and can also be found in some fruit and vegetable juices.
Calcium: Calcium is a mineral that is very important in building a strong skeleton and preventing bone loss later in life. Calcium is found in milk, and milk products like yogurt, cheese, and ice cream. Calcium is also found in some brands of tofu, fortified soy milk, some nuts, enriched orange juice, as well as other products.
Iron: Iron is used to make new red blood cells, and helps accept, carry and release oxygen to the different cells in your body. There are two kinds of iron containing foods. Foods that contain heme iron, which is absorbed better by the body and foods that contain non-heme iron, which isn’t absorbed by the body as well. Heme sources of iron include meats, fish, chicken, and eggs. Non-heme sources of iron include enriched breads and cereals, dark greens like spinach, and some fruits, especially dried fruits.

Look for products that are ‘power-packed’ nutritionally and provide a good amount of vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fiber.

Footnote: The footnote is the same on all food products and provides Americans with the percentage of Daily Values Recommended for someone who is consuming a 2,000 calorie diet or 2,500 calorie diet.