Understanding Food Labels:
Reading Carefully To
Choose Healthy Snacks
Understanding food labels is essential to managing your diet and choosing healthy snacks to prevent food problems. Almost all food packages today have a label based on the guidelines issued by the Food and Drug Administration. By understanding the food label, you can help yourself determine exactly what you should be eating. Serving SizeBe sure to read this portion of the label. Some people, if not extremely sensitive to a given food product, can often eat one serving every 4-5 days without triggering any adverse reaction. But one serving does not necessarily mean the whole box or bag. This is especially true on the snack foods line. Check the serving size, servings per container and the amount per serving. These three lines break it down so you can tell exactly how much you can safely eat without adverse symptoms. Also, any package stating low calorie must not have more than 40 calories per serving. Control/Avoid These Whenever PossibleThe second important thing to understanding food labels references five different components broken down so that you can try to prevent the over-consumption of each of these lines. These are:- Total fat
- Saturated Fat (aim for 2g or less per serving)
- Trans Fat
- Cholesterol
- Sodium (aim for less than 140 mg per serving)
If the label states 5% or less under the % of daily values column: this is low. Anytime, it reads greater than 20%, this is high. Try to avoid these items. Strive For Minimum Daily RequirementsThe following part of this label now is trying to make you realize the importance of reaching those minimum goals each and every day. Check each of these and pick food items that give you a good percentage each day.- Dietary Fiber (try for 5 or more grams per serving)
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Calcium
- Iron
Here, if the label states under 5%, you are getting a very low amount of these important nutrients. Try to aim higher or eat a combination of foods that will bring these numbers up each day. This is very important to maintain the requirements needed each day to keep your immune system strong and healthy. Finally, often by understanding the food label you will see information such as "this product provides at least 10% of the recommended daily allowance per serving." Somewhere, in other items you eat that day, you must try to make up the other 90% to have completed a 100% nutritionally balanced program for that particular day. On your next trip to the grocery store, take a few minutes and read over the label of some of your purchases. By keeping yourself informed, you do not have to rely on all those claims on the package fronts when they say low fat, low calorie, low carbs etc.. Often these can be very misleading. Yes, that particular package may be very low in fat calories but it could be through the roof in cholesterol or high sodium. By understanding food labels you have now prepared you and your family for a happier and healthier life.
Return to "Nutrition Facts Label" from "Understanding Food Labels".
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*Disclaimer*
This site is not intended to replace the advice and supervision of your professional medical treatment plan. Although all of the information is true and accurate to the best of our knowledge, we still recommend you carefully check all food labels before consuming any food product. We can not assume any legal responsibility for any illness obtained while following the advice contained on this site.
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