Reading a Nutrition Label

Written By Leina Sultan

Why are food Labels Important?

Food labels tell us what’s in our food and the Ingredients it contains, which would help us make healthier food choices.

Parts of the Nutrition label

There are 5 parts of the nutrition label, and these are:

›1. Serving size

This is the basis to determine other parts of the label. It is shown in cups, pieces, oz., or grams. It helps to reflect how much people eat today, hence it is not considered a recommendation of how much to eat from that food. It helps us to calculate how many servings is there per container.

›2. Calories

This represents how much energy ONE serving of that food provides. If used correctly, it can help keep calories in check !

›3. Nutrients

This section supports personal dietary needs. It refers to the nutrients that are Important for healthy growth. This would include vitamins and minerals which are considered as protectors and helpers against disease, proteins which are the building blocks for our body, and carbohydrates which are the MAIN fuel for our brain.

›4. Percent Daily Values (%DV)

This part tells you the percent of each nutrient is in a serving of that food. The percentages are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

›5. Footnote

This last section explains what the %DV is equal to. Keep in mind that each person has different DV needs based on their age, gender, height, weight, and physical activity level.

Using the Nutrition Label

Watch for Servings!

Pay attention to the serving size & the number of servings you eat or drink. This means if you eat 2 servings of that food, you should double the calories & nutrients percent shown on the label.

Count the Calories!

We burn calories when we are active. For a balanced energy intake, remember that Calories in/consumed should equal calories out/burned. Remember that people have different calorie needs.

A rule of thumb to use, is :

100 calories per serving: is considered a moderate calorie count of that food

400 calories per serving: is considered a HIGH calorie count of that food

Tips!

  • Read the nutrition label on your favorite snack, and measure out the serving size in a small zip bag for easy grab and go snack.

  • Read the label in your cafeteria, work or when shopping. Look for foods with higher nutrients to get more of.

  • Swap foods with high amounts of added sugars, with no added sugar options

    ›Ex: Change soda to a no sugar added drink option!

  • Compare calories and nutrients of foods prepared in different ways

    ›Ex: fries vs. baked potatoes

  • Nutrients to get more of: Dietary fiber, Calcium, Vitamin D, Iron, and Vitamin A

  • Nutrients to get less of: Saturated fats, Trans fats, Sodium, and Added sugars

References:

  • Nutrition Facts Label Images. FDA website. https://search.usa.gov/search?utf8=✓&affiliate=fda1&sort_by=&query=food+label+downloads. Accessed June 22, 2020

  • Online Recourses for Teachers. FDA Website. https://www.fda.gov/media/95613/download. Accessed June, 22, 2020

Leina Sultan
Previous

Health benefits of the Sweetsop Fruit
Next

Roasting Nuts