Nutrition Facts Label Vocabulary List
Dietary Fiber
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Found in foods from plants
Best sources are “whole” grain products, vegetables & fruits
Linked to reducing cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of heart disease
Linked to reducing the risk of certain cancers
Enriched
 When nutrients (generally vitamins & minerals) are added back to the food that
were lost during processing.
 Commonly true of foods like cereals, bread and other products that use refined
grains which are processed grains not “whole” grains.
Food Additives
 Substances added to foods to help do any of the following:
o Improve or preserve nutrient value
 Fortified (see fortified)
 Enriched (see enriched)
o Maintain product consistency
 Prevent separating – salad dressing
 Create even texture – gravy & salad dressings
 Anti-clumping or caking- powdered sugar, grated cheese
o Maintain the wholesomeness of the food
 Preservatives to reduce spoiling (Salt in bacon, vinegar in pickles)
 Preserving flavors (preventing oils from spoiling in baked goods)
 Preventing color changes (cut and packaged fresh fruits)
o Provide Color & Enhance Flavor
Fortified
 When essential nutrients (vitamins and minerals) are added to a food that were not
originally in the food before processing
 To improve the nutritional quality of the food and provide a public health benefit.
(i.e., Vit D added to Milk to improve bone growth)
Health Claims
 2 part statements on food packages that link a nutrient (s) to a specific health
concern of disease. Examples include:
 High Calcium=reducing risk of osteoporosis
 Low Fat and High Fiber=reducing risk of cancer
 Low Saturated Fat and High Fiber- reduce risk of Heart Disease
 Low sodium= reduce risk of High Blood Pressure
Ingredient List
 The listing of all ingredients (including spices, colorings and preservatives) added to
the food
 Listed from greatest amount by weight to least amount. (Descending order
therefore the ingredient that weighs the most is listed first)
 Helps provide important information regarding potential food allergies
Nutrient Content Claim
 Words used to describe the relative amount (not exact amount) of a nutrient in the
product. Examples:
 High Fiber = 5g or more
 Light or Lite=1/3 fewer calories or 50% less fat
 Cholesterol Free= less than 2 mg of cholesterol AND 2 g or less of sat. fat
 Fat Free=less than ½ g fat
 Low Fat=3 g or less fat
Nutrient Dense
 A food is called Nutrient Dense when all or most of the following are true:
o Full of nutrients (like vitamins & minerals)
o low in calories (less than 200/serving)
o Low in Saturated fats
o Does not have added sugars, salt(sodium) or refined grains
Nutrition Facts Label
 Required by law to include the following information
 Net contents in terms of weight, measure or count
 Ingredients list
 Serving size
 Nutrition facts of specific nutrients for one serving (calories per serving, # of
servings per container, grams & %DV for key nutrients per serving)
% DV (Daily Value)
 A guide to the recommended amount of each nutrient found in one serving of food.
 They are useful for quick comparisons between foods.
 Choose foods high in vitamins, minerals and fiber— and limit foods high in fat,
cholesterol and sodium.
 High Daily Value = 20%DV
 Low Daily Value = 5%DV
Serving Size
 The amount of food that experts recommend you eat
o When choosing your portion, try to make it as close as possible to the serving
size to avoid over eating.
 Always written in commonly understood portions (like ½ cup of ice cream or 1 slice
bread)
 Are required to be listed on a food's nutrition facts label.
Sodium
 Commonly called salt is often added to foods to improve flavor and increase shelf
life.
 Most Americans consume more than twice the recommended amount which
increases their risk of developing high blood pressure and strokes.
 Choose foods with 5% or less Sodium per serving.
 Often listed as: sodium chloride, MonoSodium Glutamate, Sodium Bicarbonate,
baking soda, Disodium phosphate
Sugar
 Sugar is often added to food to increase flavor
 Foods with added sugar should be avoided because your body does not need sugar
AND they increase your chances of developing diabetes.
 Choose foods with lower to no grams of sugar per serving
 Manufacturers often use many different sweeteners to trick consumers and disguise
how much “sugar” is really in the food – preventing it from being listed first on the
ingredients list.
 Often listed as: High fructose corn syrup, corn syrup solids, sucrose, dextrose, brown
sugar)