How to Read Food Labels for Healthy Eating

The well-known proverb says that “you are what you eat” – but is there really any accuracy to this statement? When strolling through the shelves at your go-to food market, it’s clear to see that the majority of the items have something in common: they all feature a black and white Nutrition Facts label. The purpose of these labels is to motivate us to select more nutritious food items. Gaining knowledge of deciphering food labels in order to consume a nutritious diet can be utilized to control your wellbeing, oftentimes beginning with the food you consume. This can also aid you in steering away from inadequate nourishment, which is a key factor for the development of long-term (chronic) diseases.

A table outlining the nutritional content of a certain food item is referred to as a food label or nutrition label. The figures indicated in the table are based on a daily consumption of 2,000 calories. It is essential to bear in mind that this figure serves as a guess of your daily energy consumption and will not be pertinent to all individuals. The number of calories you should consume each day is based on characteristics such as gender, age, height, weight, and how active you are. Getting a ballpark idea of the amount of calories you should have in a day necessitates doing a bunch of calculations, but a calorie calculator can help you get a general idea.

Food labels can be valuable in determining which edibles or beverages to purchase. They are a very beneficial source of knowledge and can be particularly helpful in creating a nutritious lifestyle. Labels on food make it simpler to analyze products that are similar to one another and different brands of the same food item, helping you make an educated choice and pick healthier dishes.

Almost all packaged products that are intended to be consumed include food labels. The words “Nutrition Facts” are printed in bold black letters at the top of the table-style presentation. It wasn’t until the late 1980s that labeling food items became necessary, except for those containing certain nutritional elements or that were fortified with certain vitamins, minerals, or protein. Ever since the enactment of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990, food packages must possess extensive nutritional details (expanding to servings, calories, and fat) as a way to aid consumers in distinguishing between balanced and unhealthy foods, whilst also empowering companies to deliver more beneficial versions.

The nutrition facts label consists of different components that relate specifically to the item it is placed on. At the conclusion of each nutrition label sits a footnote explaining the meaning of the showing percent daily value and how it relates to the daily calorie intake.

Serving information

The Nutrition Facts are given just beneath the question, and tell you how many servings are in one package and the size of each portion. The suggested portion size is typically shown in two formats: cups or individual pieces, then in parentheses with either grams (g) or milliliters (ml) given, and this amount is referring to per serving. It is important to take note that the stated serving size of a product reflects the amount of it that a person typically consumes in a single serving and not the amount that is recommended for them to have. Remember that all the nutrition facts below the portion size are only for that individual serving. For instance, if the instructions indicate 2 servings per packet with each one of them being 1 cup (227g), you would have consumed one serving if you have consumed 1 cup, or half of the entire product. By consuming two cups of something, or the entire package, that is equivalent to two servings. If you have two portions, it would mean the amount of calories and nutrients would be twice as much as what is on the label.

Calories

The amount of calories you get with each portion is located underneath the portion size. Assuming one eats the entire package, if the product comes with two servings per container, each of which contains one cup, then the individual would be consuming 400 calories as each portion has 200 calories. An amount of energy that is set off from the things you eat and drink is what a calorie is. The higher the number of calories in a certain food, the more energy your body is given. More calories may not necessarily be beneficial to you and could fail to keep you feeling satisfied. If you take in more calories than your body requires, the excess will be stored as fat. This is something worthy of thought, particularly when obtaining fat-reduced or fat-free items.

Nutrients

Most of the food label is dedicated to showing the nutrition content. A compilation of nutrients that may be beneficial for one’s individual nutritional requirements is included. Although these substances are labeled as essential nutrients, it does not necessarily mean that everything contained in this portion is beneficial – substances such as saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar typically have negative effects on health. Eating an excessive amount of saturated fat, sodium, and sugar can cause swelling in the body, raising the possibility of having conditions like high blood pressure. Conversely, there are certain nutrients that Americans are typically deficient in. These nutrients comprise of dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium. A healthy eating plan that includes dietary fiber can result in a number of advantages, such as reducing your blood sugar and cholesterol, making your bowel movements more regular, and helping you to consume fewer calories. Vitamins D, calcium, iron, and potassium can help reduce chances of developing osteoporosis, anemia, and hypertension, respectively.

What are Added Sugars and How are they Different from Total Sugars?

The amount of sugar listed in the Nutrition Facts on food and beverage items consists of any added sugars plus sugars naturally occurring in items such as milk and fruit. No Daily Reference Value has been set for the amount of total sugars to consume in a given day as there is no recommended daily quota.

The Nutrition Facts label shows the amount of added Sugars, like sucrose or dextrose put in during the production of food, as well as table sugar, syrup, honey and concentrated juices from fruits or vegetables. Consuming a diet that is filled with calories from sugary ingredients can make it hard to get the correct amount of key nutrients while also not going over your daily calorie limit.

Putting the word “includes” in front of “Added Sugars” on the label clarifies that the amount of grams of “Total Sugars” in the product take into account the “Added Sugars”.

For example, a container of yogurt with added sweeteners, might list:

This implies the item holds 7 grams of Additional Sugars and 8 grams of naturally existing sugars – for an aggregate of 15 grams of sugar.

• Nutrients to get more of: Dietary Fiber, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, and Potassium.

Generally, the American population does not consume the recommended portion of dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium, which are all listed on food labels. They are classified as important elements to increase their intake. Consuming lots of dietary fiber can result in more regular bowel movements, lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels, and fewer calories consumed. A diet that is elevated in vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium may reduce one’s likelihood of suffering from issues such as osteoporosis, anemia, and hypertension.

It is important to keep in mind that the nutrition label can be utilized to fit your individual dietary needs—pick out items that have a greater amount of the nutrients you’d like to consume more of and a lesser quantity of the nutrients you may want to minimize.

Percent daily value

The percent of daily value is displayed near the nutritional information. This is the amount of a nutrient in one portion that contributes to your overall daily nutrition. For example, 12% of the daily value of fat in one serving of the product would equate to 12% of the total fat intake recommended in a 2,000 calorie diet. You can use the Daily Value percentage to assess whether a food item or beverage has a lot or a little of a nutrient. Generally speaking, a Percentage of Daily Value ( %DV ) lower than 5 is considered low, while a %DV greater than 20 is considered high. The FDA suggests selecting products with a high Daily Value (%DV) of dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium, while limiting those with a high %DV in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. This can include skimmed milk, wholemeal bread, pulses, and fish.

General Guide to %DV

• 5% DV or less of a nutrient per serving is considered low
• 20% DV or more of a nutrient per serving is considered high

More often, choose foods that are:

• Higher in %DV for Dietary Fiber, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, and Potassium
• Lower in %DV for Saturated Fat, Sodium, and Added Sugars

Examine the amount of sodium present in a single portion as indicated on the example nutritional information label. Does 37% of your diet consist of %DV? Check the General Guide to %DV . This product has a HIGH sodium content, since it is made up of 37% of its daily value (DV) — more than 20%. Consuming two portions would give you 74% of your daily required salt intake – that’s almost three-fourths of how much salt you should have in a single day.

Compare food products by using %DV, but make sure that the portion size is the same. When selecting food items, favor those that include higher amounts of nutrients you wish to increase in your diet and lower amounts of ones you want to reduce.

Compare the % Daily Values (DV) on different food products to compare which one contains more of a certain nutrient. This is especially useful to differentiate between claims like “light,” “low,” and “reduced.” There is no need to memorize definitions.

You can use the %DV to help you compare foods and decide which ones to include in your diet throughout the day. It is not necessary to sacrifice a beloved cuisine in order to have a nutritious diet. Choose dishes that include foods with low saturated fat when you crave something high in saturated fat. Eating a balance of different food types throughout the day is the best way to make sure your overall intake of saturated fat remains low. Be mindful of how much you consume over the course of the day in order to ensure the total amount of saturated fats, as well as any other nutrients you aim to limit, remains under 100% of the Daily Value.

How the Daily Values Relate to the %DVs

Examine the illustration below to get a different perspective on the Daily Values (DVs) versus the %DVs and dietary advice. For each nutrient in the table, there is a Daily Value, a percentage of the Daily Value, and either eating information or a target stated. If you stick to the suggested diet, your nutrient intake per day will fall within the maximum and minimum ranges for a 2,000-calorie diet according to the guidelines given by public health specialists.

Upper Limit – Eat “Less than”…

It is suggested that one should be mindful of their intake of nutrients and not have more than the specified Daily Value numbers for the day. For example, the DV for saturated fat is 20g. This amount is 100% DV for this nutrient. What is the goal or dietary advice? Consume fewer than 20 g or 100% of the recommended daily value daily.

Lower Limit – Eat “At least”…

One’s daily value for dietary fiber is 28 grams, corresponding to a full DV. It is advised that you consume a minimum of this amount of dietary fiber regularly.

Nutrients Without a %DV: Trans Fats, Protein, and Total Sugars:

On the Nutrition Facts label, be aware that neither Trans fat nor Total Sugars have a specified %DV. Protein only specifies a %DV in the conditions listed hereunder.

No experts supplied a benchmark for the amount of trans fats recommended in the diet, and the FDA did not receive enough data to set a recommended level.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that diets which are loaded with trans fats could potentially result in rising levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood, which has been linked to an elevated risk of cardiac illnesses. The vast majority of processed foods containing synthetic trans fat have been eliminated from United States grocery stores and restaurants as of 2018.

A % Daily Value must be included if a product claims to be “high in protein,” and this must also be included in labels of items intended for use by infants and children younger than 4 years. If the product is meant to be used by people of four years or older, and no claims relating to protein are made, no %DV of protein is necessary.

The findings of modern science suggest that the amount of protein consumed by adults and children over 4 years of age in the United States does not present a problem for public health.

No recommended amount of total Sugars intake in a day has been established, so there is no Daily Reference Value for Total Sugars. Remember that the amount of Sugars stated on the Nutrition Facts label includes both natural sugars (such as those found in fruit and milk) and added sugars.