Reading Food Labels

Food labels help you make quick, informed food choices. Here is the low-down on each part of the food label to help you choose foods that fit into a healthful meal plan.

1. Serving Size
Pay attention to the serving size and the number of servings per package. Then ask yourself, “How many servings am I consuming”?

2. Limit These Nutrients
Eating too much of the nutrients listed below may increase your risk of certain diseases like heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancers:

• Total Fat- should be between 65 – 80 grams each day.
• Saturated Fat - limit to no more than 20-25 grams each day. Foods like butter, cheese, cream and high fat dairy contain saturated fats.
• Trans Fats – no set recommendations, try to limit as much as possible.
• Sodium – foods with 140 mg or less are ‘low in sodium’ or ‘very low in sodium’.
• Cholesterol – foods low in cholesterol have 20 mg or less per serving.

3. Get Enough of These
Some nutrients are important for good health and may help prevent certain diseases.

• Dietary Fiber – help to maintain a healthy weight, heart health and digestive system. Aim for 25 – 38 grams per day.
• Vitamins and Minerals – Vitamins A and C, iron and calcium are important nutrients for good health.

4. Calories and Calories from Fat
• Calories tell you how much energy you get from one serving of this food.
• Calories from Fat help you follow the dietary guidelines that recommend no more than 700 calories from fat each day based on a 2,000 calorie meal plan.

5. Quick Guide to % Daily Value
Use the %DV to help you compare similar products. Remember it's how much you eat over an entire day, and not the percentage in one food or meal that's important.

• %DV is based on recommendations for a 2,000 calorie diet.
• 5% or less is LOW for nutrients you want to limit like total fat, cholesterol and sodium.
• 20% or more is HIGH for nutrients you want to consume in greater amounts such as fiber, calcium, vitamins A and C, and iron.

6. A Word About Sugars and Protein
The %DV is not listed for Sugars nor Protein.

• Sugars - no daily value has been set for sugars. The sugars listed on the label include both naturally occurring sugars as well as those added to a food or drink.
• Protein – not considered a public health concern and is only required if the product claims to be a good source of protein.

Source: Nutrition Council

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Percent Daily Values Understanding the Percent Daily Values on a food label can help you choose foods that are high in good nutrients and low in bad nutrients. Remember that 5% DV or less is low and 20% DV or more is high for a food component. So for things like fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, or sodium, look for foods with a low % DV. For these nutrients, you should try to eat less than the 100% DV. And look for a high % DV for 'good things,' like dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron. You should be eating at least the 100% DV for these nutrients.

Helpful Definitions Free. This claim means that a food contains no amount (or a very small amount) of the these nutrients: fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugar, and calories. • "Calorie-free" means fewer than 5 calories per serving. • "Fat-free" means less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving. Low. This claim can be used on all foods that can be eaten often without going over the limit for one or more of these nutrients: saturated fat, cholesterol, fat, sodium, and calories. • "Low-saturated fat": 1 gram or less per serving. • "Low-fat": 3 grams or less per serving. • "Low-cholesterol": 20 milligrams or less and 2 grams or less saturated fat per serving. • "Low-sodium": 140 milligrams or less per serving. • "Low calorie": 40 calories or less per serving. Lean and extra lean. These claims can be used to describe the saturated fat and fat content of meat, poultry, seafood and game meats. • "Lean": less than 10 grams of fat and 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per serving. • "Extra lean": less than 5 grams of fat, less than 2 grams saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per serving. Source: www.nhlbisupport.com Click here and scroll down for a list of the WORST FOOD ADDITIVES. Reading Ingredient Lists: What’s in a Food? The ingredient list can also help you learn more about the food you eat. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. So the ingredients at the beginning are found in higher amounts than the ingredients at the bottom of the list. The ingredient list can be used for two key nutrition tips: whole grains and/or added sugar. The ingredient list is also helpful for individuals with food allergies or other health concerns. Limit Added Sugars Naturally occurring sugars (like fruit and dairy products) are not listed separately on the Nutrition Facts Panel under Sugars. Look for the following words to find out if a food contains added sugar: molasses raw sugar sucrose brown sugar corn sweetener corn syrup dextrose fructose glucose malt syrup honey invert sugar lactose high-fructose corn syrup maltose Eat More Whole Grains Whole grain foods contain more vitamins, minerals and fiber than refined foods. The words “whole” or “whole grain” should appear first in the ingredient list. The table below lists other ingredients that indicate a whole grain choice. whole rye brown rice whole oats bulgur millet oatmeal barley popcorn quinoa buckwheat groats whole grain corn meal whole wheat couscous Source: Nutrition Council Health Tip Remember, the main purpose of food packaging is to sell the product, not tell you what's in it.