Download Reading Food Labels

The rest of this brochure
will outline in detail how
you can quickly and easily
read a food label, enabling you
to understand not only what’s
in the foods you eat, but also
how you can make adjustments
to your diet to live a longer,
healthier life. Remember, you are
what you eat, so make it healthy!
With just a little bit of effort, we can become a lot
savvier when it comes to understanding what’s in
the foods we eat. How you say? By reading food
labels. Food labels are on almost every food item
we purchase, and even though you may never have
looked at one closely, they’re actually fairly simple to
understand and packed with valuable information.
W
17
The information contained in this brochure has been carefully
reviewed for accuracy. It is not intended to replace the advice of
your physician or health care provider.
©
e’ve all heard the term, “You are what
you eat,” but how often do we really
stop and think about what we put in
our bodies? The fact is most of us know frighteningly
little about what’s in the foods we eat, or, let alone,
how much of each nutrient we actually need.
Label, Label
On The Jar
2006 Wellness Councils of America 161812
9802 Nicholas Street, Suite 315
Omaha, NE 68114-2106
Phone: (402) 827-3590 • Fax: (402) 827-3594
www.welcoa.org
Wellness Councils of America
A
P U B L I C A T I O N
O F
T H E
You are what you eat. So it pays
to make wise choices about the
food you choose to consume. Get
the facts on reading food labels.
Your Guide To Understanding
The Food You Eat
Reading
Food Labels
American Dietetic Association
www.eatright.org
Reading Well
US Department of Agriculture
www.usda.gov
US Food and Drug Administration
www.fda.gov
For More Information
Getting Labeled
Coming to Terms...
Building Your Food
Label Vocabulary
Here are some quick definitions for the terms
you’ll find on food labels.
➤ An additive is any substance not normally
eaten as food by itself, but which is added to
make foods taste better, or last longer
➤ Calcium is a vital component of bones and
teeth and is needed for proper nerve function
➤ Calories and kilojoules are units of energy
➤ Carbohydrates are found in grain-based
foods and fruits and vegetables. Our bodies
use “carbs” as a main source of energy
➤ Cholesterol is found in animal products.
Too much cholesterol in the diet can be
unhealthy for the heart
➤ Enriched or fortified means that nutrients
have been added to the food
➤ Fiber is the indigestible part of grains,
fruits, and vegetables
➤ Glucose, fructose, sucrose, and lactose
are all sugars
➤ Protein is important for muscle growth and
repair
➤ Sodium is needed for proper fluid balance
and nerve function, but too much is
unhealthy
➤ Total fat is the measure of fat content in
food—both saturated and unsaturated.
Unsaturated fats are healthier than
saturated fats but should still be eaten in
moderation
Food Labels: Read The Writing On The Jar
A
lthough we’ve come a long way from the 19th
Century’s traveling medicine shows selling
miracle cures like Dr. Kilmer’s Swamp Root or
Rattlesnake Oil, today’s marketing claims can be very
confusing and even misleading.
Buyer Beware
Walking through any grocery store, you’ll find all sorts
of claims made by the marketers of all the different food
products. You’ll see “fat-free,” “low-sodium,” “light,”
“nutritious,” and a whole host of other buzzwords.
Remember, it’s buyer beware—not all these buzz words
mean exactly what they say, and the labels demand closer
inspection. Be sure the Nutrition Facts label supports
these claims.
Reading is Key
Having a better grasp on the terms used on food
labels and packaging, means you’ll be able to make
wiser decisions when you eat. But here’s a key point to
remember: just because foods claim to be low in fat,
nutritious, or low in sodium, they may not be low in
calories. You’ll only know if you read the label.
Source: FDA
The Buzz Word Bible
Next time you’re navigating the grocery aisles, the following
definitions may help you shop wiser and healthier.
Å “Calorie Free”—fewer than 5 calories per serving.
Å “Fat Free”—less than 1/2 of a gram of fat per
serving.
Å “Light”—must contain one-third less calories than
the regular version of the same product.
Å “Low Fat”—no more than 3 grams of fat per
serving.
Å “Low in saturated fat”—no more than 1 gram of
saturated fat per serving.
Å “Low in sodium”—no more than 140 milligrams of
salt per serving.
Å “Very Low in Sodium”—no more than 35
milligrams of salt per serving.
Å “Low in cholesterol”—no more than 20 milligrams
of cholesterol or 2 grams of saturated fat per serving.
5 Steps To Learning Your Labels
Reading and Understanding
The Nutrition
Facts Label
F
ood labels are on practically every food item we buy and eat. And for good reason, too. Reading food labels is one
of the most important steps you can take to eating well and living healthy. Food labels provide important information
about the food you’re eating—serving sizes, calories, fat, important nutrients, as well as salt, sugar, and cholesterol.
Because of the amount of information packed on food labels, it may seem a little overwhelming at first. But not to worry, the
following guide will help you read and understand the Nutrition Facts labels on the food you consume.
Here’s what you should look for on the Nutrition Facts label.
1
SERVING SIZE. Start by taking a look at the serving size of the food item you
have. They tend to be measured in familiar, easy to use units like cups, pieces,
or slices and are then followed by the metric weight of the serving (e.g., 25g). To
make serving sizes easier for people to relate to, they are based on the approximate
amount of food people eat.
You might be surprised by the actual serving sizes of some of the foods you buy—
many can be deceiving. For instance, you might notice that the food label on a 20oz.
bottle of soda says there are 110 calories per serving. To most people, that 20oz bottle
of soda seems like one serving. Upon closer inspection, you’ll find that it’s actually
two servings. This means that there are actually 220 calories total in that bottle of
soda. Focus Point: The serving size on food labels directly influences all the
information on the Nutrition Facts label.
2
CALORIES & CALORIES FROM FAT. This section of the food label tells
you how much energy (calories) you’ll get from a serving of the food you’re
looking at. It also tells you the amount of calories per serving that come from
directly from fat. This is important because foods high in fat are generally high in
calorie content. Focus Point: Remember, there are 9 calories in 1 gram of fat.
3
NUTRIENTS. The Nutrients section of the Nutrition Facts label is divided
into two main parts: nutrients you should limit, and nutrients you should get
more of. The nutrients you should limit typically include fat, carbohydrates, and
sodium. They are nutrients that Americans typically over consume, and typically
increase your risk for a number of diseases like heart disease, cancer, or diabetes.
Nutrients you should get more of typically include vitamins A and C, calcium,
fiber, or iron. Generally, Americans do not get enough of these important nutrients,
which have shown promise in reducing a number of diseases such as various cancers,
osteoporosis, or hypertension. Focus Point: Use the Nutrition Facts label to get a
proper balance of the nutrients you need, and the nutrients you should limit.
4
THE PERCENT DAILY VALUE (%DV). This section of the Nutrition Facts
label is important because it tells you how well the nutrients in the item you’re
planning to eat fit into your daily overall diet (i.e., 2,000 calories/day). For example,
if the item you’re looking at has 31g of carbohydrates, which represents 10% of your
daily-recommended value, then you have 90% of your carbohydrate allowance left
over for whatever else you’ll consume that day. Focus Point: A good rule of thumb
to use when looking at the %DV for a food item. 5%DV or less is low, and
20%DV or more is high. So, for the nutrients you want to limit, aim for 5%DV,
and for nutrients you want to consume more of, aim for 20%DV or more.
5
NUTRITION FACTS FOOTNOTE. Depending on the physical packaging
size of the food item you’re looking at, you may, or may not see this section.
When you do see it, it’s important to note that it doesn’t change from product
to product. It shows the dietary recommendations for all Americans, not on the
specific food you’re looking at. From it, you can learn more about the amount of
specific nutrients you should consume based on either a 2,000 or 2,500-calorie diet.
For example, if you’re on a 2,000-calorie diet, you can see that you should limit
your fat intake to less than 65 grams per day. Focus Point: Although this section
breaks out information on both a 2,000 and 2,500 calorie diet, the %DV
section is based only on a 2,000 calorie diet.