Reading Article: How to Read a Food Label
Article:​How
to Read a Food Label
Here's how to make healthier choices by picking out important information from the
nutrition facts panel.
Like many health-concious shoppers, it takes me a little longer in the grocery
store than you might imagine. Coupons? Check. Thoroughly inspect every
square inch of produce? On it. Wrangle an 11-month-old? Done. Read every
nutrition facts panel and ingredient list? No problem! You see, once you
become familiar with the food label, shopping for healthy fuel really isn't as
time-consumming as you might think. This article will help you decode the
label in order to determine which foods should come home with you and which
should stay on the grocer's shelves.
Here's how to read the nutrition facts panel and the food label:
Start at the top:​ The first place to start when you
look at the nutrition facts panel is the ​serving size
and the number of servings in the container. In
general, serving sizes are standardized in order to
make it easier to compare similar foods; they are
provided in familiar units, such as cups or pieces,
followed by the metric amount, e.g., the number of
grams. Be aware that the portion size suggested on
the label may not coincide with the recommended
serving size on health organization sites such as the
USDA's MyPyramid site.
Overall, as you move down the nutrition facts panel,
you'll notice that the nutrients toward the top are
ones to limit (such as total fat, saturated fat,
Reading Article: How to Read a Food Label
cholesterol, etc.), and the nutrients towards the bottom (fiber, various
vitamins) are the nutrients to focus on for better health.
Calories:​ The label will list the number of calories per serving (again, be sure
to check out the serving size, and try measuring out the portion). In general,
the following calorie ranges apply to foods:
Low calorie foods: Fewer than 40 calories per serving
Moderate calorie foods: 100 calories per serving
High calorie foods: More than 400 calories per serving
Total fat:​ You need to consume some fat (really, there's no need to be afraid
of fat), but you don't need to exist on fat alone. In general, approximately 25
percent of your calories comes from fat (the rest from carbohydrates and
protein). Aim for most of your fats to come from plants, as the fat they supply
is generally heart-healthy. In general, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated
fats are the best choices.
Saturated fat:​ Design your diet so that less than 10 percent of your total
calories comes from saturated fat. For optimal health, keep this number below
7 percent; the less saturated fat, the better!
Trans fat:​ Keep this unhealthy fat as low as possible. In general, less than 2
grams per day is recommended.
Polyunsaturated (PUFA) and monounsaturated (MUFA) fats:​ These
heart-healthy fats are good choices and often come from vegetable oils. The
majority of fats in your diet should be PUFA and MUFAs. Some food labels list
Reading Article: How to Read a Food Label
the amount of MUFAs and PUFAs in terms of grams. If the food label does not
list the exact grams of PUFAs and MUFAs, you can determine the total by
subtracting the grams of saturated fat and trans fat from the total fat content of
the food.
Sodium:​ While athletes lose sodium in their sweat, an excessive intake of
sodium is not recommended. The updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans
recommends that individuals reduce their sodium intake to less than 2300mg
per day. In order to consume a diet that meets (and doesn't exceed) this
guideline, avoid most processed foods, and aim for less than 200mg per
serving. Low-sodium foods contain less than 140mg per serving.
Sugar:​ The grams of sugar listed on the label include natural sugar and
added sugars. Remember to check the ingredients to check for added sugar.
​ iber:​ In general, kids (2-18 years old) should aim for a fiber intake of their
F
age (in years) plus 5 grams. Adults should aim for 25-30 grams of fiber daily
or 14 grams per each 1000 calories consumed.
Reading Article: How to Read a Food Label
Footnotes and daily values:
At the bottom of the nutrition facts panel, there is often a footnote or a box that
explains the daily value percentages in the product. This footnote is based on
a 2000-calorie or 2500-calorie diet, so it isn't entirely applicable to everyone.
However, the daily value percentages will indicate whether the food item is
rich in a certain nutrient. For example, if a product contains 70 percent of the
daily value for sodium, you know that no matter how many calories you
require, this product is very high in sodium.
The ​amounts circled in red in the footnote​ above are the recommended daily
intakes or daily values (DV) for each nutrient listed. DVs in the footnote are
based on a 2,000 or 2,500 calorie diet. The DVs for some nutrients change
with calorie needs, while others (for cholesterol and sodium) remain the same
for both calorie amounts.
Ingredient list:
Last but not least on the food label is the list of ingredients. ​Ingredients are
listed in descending order by weight, so be sure to pay attention to the order
of ingredients. If an ingredient is toward the beginning of the list, the product
contains a large amount; whereas, if the ingredient is toward the end of the
list, the product contains only a small amount.​ For example, cereal with sugar
listed as the second ingredient contains a high amount of sugar and is
probably not the best choice.
The ingredient list is also helpful if you are trying to avoid certain food items or
allergens. Food labels are now required to clearly identify the eight most
common allergenic foods. These are the foods that account for 90 percent of
food allergic reactions. The eight allergens identified on the food label include
(but may not be limited to): milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts,
peanuts, wheat, and soybeans.