Your Cheat Sheet to Good Eats
Labels give you information that can help you decide what to choose as part of an overall healthy eating plan. Checking the labels on foods can alert you when a food is high in something like sugar so you can be prepared to make tradeoffs.
So who decides what information goes on a food label? In the United States, it's the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). These agencies require that all food labels show the same nutrition and health information. This allows consumers to compare different foods and make the choices that are right for them.
Making Food Labels Work for You
The first step in making food labels work for you is to look at the entire label. If you focus on only one part — like calories or vitamins — you may not be getting the full story, like how much sugar or fat is in the product. Here are some tips to help you get the big picture on food labels:
Serving Size
Always start with the serving size amount. That's because all the information on the rest of the label — from calories to vitamins — is based on that amount.
Take note of how much a serving is (e.g., 1 cup, 8 oz). Sometimes a serving size will be way less than you're used to eating — like only half a cup of cereal.
The label will also list how many servings are in the package. Even things that seem like they'd be a single serving, such as a bottle of juice or packet of chips, may contain more than one serving. If you eat or drink the whole thing, you're getting more vitamins and minerals but you're also getting way more calories, sugar, fat, and other stuff that you might not want.
Calories
A calorie is a way to measure how much energy a food provides to your body. To get a rough idea of how many calories you need to eat each day, check out the personalized plan calculator on the U.S. government's ChooseMyPlate website.
The calories from fat number tells you how many calories in that serving come from fat. For most people, about 30% of all the calories they eat in a day should come from fat. So if you eat 2,000 calories a day, about 600 of these calories should come from fat.
Percent Daily Value
These percentages show the amounts of nutrients an average person will get from eating one serving of that food. For the purposes of food labels, the government chose an "average" person as someone who needs 2,000 calories a day.
But obviously some — like those who are growing rapidly or very athletic — will need more calories than 2,000 a day. And many will need less. The percent daily value information can be complicated. But one thing it makes easy is showing at a glance if a food is high or low in a particular nutrient. Here's how:
· If a food has a daily value of 5% or less of a nutrient, it is considered to be low in that nutrient.
· A food is a good source of a nutrient if the percent daily value is between 10% and 19%.
· If the food has 20% or more of the daily value, it is considered an excellent source of that nutrient.
Fat
Total fat shows how much fat is in a single serving of food. Although eating too much fat can lead to obesity and health problems, our bodies do need some fat every day. Fats are an important source of energy and provide insulation and cushioning for the skin, bones, and internal organs. Fat also distributes and helps the body store certain vitamins.
Some fats are better than others. Unsaturated fats, which are found in vegetable oils, nuts, and fish, are often called "good fats." Both saturated and trans fats are considered "bad" because they can increase a person's risk for developing heart disease. These types of fat are solid at room temperature (picture them clogging your arteries).
Sodium
Sodium is a component of salt. Almost all foods contain sodium because it adds flavor and helps preserve food. Processed, packaged, and canned foods usually have more sodium than freshly made foods. Small amounts of sodium keep proper body fluid balance. Sodium also helps the body transmit electrical signals through nerves. But too much sodium can increase water retention and blood pressure in people who are sensitive to it.
Total Carbohydrate
This amount covers all carbohydrates, including fiber and sugar. The best sources of carbohydrates are fruits and vegetables, along with whole-grain foods like cereals, breads, pasta, and brown rice. Most of your daily calorie intake should come from carbohydrates.
Sugars are listed separately under Total Carbohydrates. Checking sugar quantities on labels can be really eye opening. Often there's way more than you'd expect. For example, sometimes manufacturers cut back on fat but add sugar to keep a food tasting good.
Fiber
Fiber is not digested and helps keep your digestive system healthy. Fiber can also help reduce cholesterol levels. Best of all, fiber has no calories and it can help you feel full. So check the label and pick foods that have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
Protein
Most of the body — including muscles, skin, and the immune system — is made up of protein. If the body doesn't get enough fat and carbohydrates, it can use protein for energy. So be sure the foods you eat give you some protein.
Vitamins and Minerals
It goes without saying that you want to choose foods that are high in a variety of vitamins and minerals. Some vitamins — like vitamin C — are water soluble, which means that the body can't store them so they need to be consumed daily.
Food labels can't tell you what foods to eat — that's your decision! But they can help you find foods that taste good and treat your body right
Excerpts taken from “Food Labels” by Teens Health reviewed by Mary L. Gavin, MD. Read more
WINForum and Best Teen Diets recommend eating a healthy well balanced diet including foods from each food group. We offer nutrition information that emphasizes the importance eating well to be healthy. For more information visit www.winforum.org and www.bestteendiets.org
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