It should be easy to shop for food that nourishes us properly and helps us maintain a healthy weight. After all the Food and Drug Administration requires food products to be labeled with nutritional information. However, most of us haven’t learned how to understand nutritional labels so we don’t get as much benefit from the information as we could.
One of the biggest misconceptions is the size of a serving. Many people assume what they consider a portion in real life to be one serving. Actually it may be two, three, four or more servings according to the standard serving size designated on a label. "Portion distortion” leads many of us to believe that we are taking in fewer calories, fat, salt and sugar than we actually are, nutritionists say. So a good first step is to note the real size of the serving on the label. Everything listed on the label is based on that standard serving size.
For example, one 34-gram serving of Oreos Sandwich Cookies, which provides 160 calories, equals three cookies. So if you eat nine cookies, three servings, which is easy to do, you’re taking in 480 calories. That's about one fourth of the 2,000 calories needed by the average woman every day and one fifth the calories needed by the average man. Nine Oreo cookies also adds up to three times the amount of fat and saturated fat listed on the nutrition label.
A serving typically is listed in grams as well as in terms such as “½ cup” or “two tablespoons.” Those of us who aren’t familiar with such measurements would do well to measure out food a few times to learn what such servings sizes look like.
When considering the amount of calories in each serving, it’s important to keep in mind your own individual calorie needs based on your particular age, height, weight and activity level. If you look at the footnote on a nutritional label it’s based on a 2,000-calorie diet, what an average woman needs each day to maintain a healthy weight. Of course we’re not all average, so it’s good for each of us to calculate our actual daily calorie needs.
If you’re trying lose weight, you’ll want to cut and/or work off an average of 500 calories a day to lose a pound a week or 1,000 calories a day to lose two pounds. Speaking of fat, another section of the nutrition label addresses the percent daily value of fat, cholesterol and sodium, each of which if consumed in excess can lead to dangerous health conditions. And if you already have a health condition such as heart disease or high blood pressure, you will need to consume less than your average healthy adult.
For example, people with heart disease or elevated cholesterol levels will likely be directed by their physician to keep their cholesterol, saturated fat and trans fat intake lower than 100 percent of the percent daily value, and those with high blood pressure to keep their sodium intake to a minimum.
But even healthy adults should pay careful attention to the daily limits to avoid developing chronic disease conditions such as diabetes and clogged arteries. Some foods are particularly high in salt and/or fat and should only be eaten occasionally in limited quantities even if you're healthy.
Foods containing good fats, including olive oil, salmon, avocado and nuts, should be sought out. The Mayo Clinic recommends 20 to 35 percent of a person’s daily caloric intake should be from healthy fats. Healthy fats are important for good nutrition, to keep meals satisfying and to help keep hunger pangs at bay.
While healthy fats aren’t typically listed on labels, they are included in the amount of “total fat,” so if saturated and trans fats are lower than the total fat, that’s a good indication the product contains healthy fats. A look at the ingredients listed can help determine if good fats, such as olive oil, are in the product.
Many products boast they are “low fat” or “reduced fat,” but an inspection of the nutrition label will help consumers sort out if a product is really healthier. For example, reduced fat peanut butter may have 10 less calories per serving, but it includes greater amounts of unhealthy fat and sugars. When it comes to peanut butter, regular peanut butter is healthier than the low-fat version.
Carbohydrates sometimes get a bad rap, but the Mayo Clinic recommends 45 to 65 percent of total daily calorie intake be in the form of carbohydrates. Healthy complex carbohydrates include whole grains, vegetables and fruits.
The amount of sugars listed under carbohydrates is especially important to check. Healthier products typically contain less than 5 grams of sugars. A look at the ingredient list will help you determine what types of sugars or sweeteners are being used.
Protein is listed in grams on the nutrition label. Ten to 30 percent of a person’s recommended daily caloric intake should be in proteins, the Mayo Clinic suggests. Protein helps our body rebuild itself and keeps us sated.
Fiber is listed on nutrition labels because it’s important in lowering cholesterol in the blood and keeping the digestive system regular. A food containing 3 to 4 grams of fiber is good and 6 to 8 grams or more is excellent. Recommended daily values of fiber for women are between 21 and 25 grams and 30 and 38 grams for men, according to the Mayo Clinic. Those on weight-loss programs can benefit from eating even more fiber.
Not all vitamins are required to be listed on the nutrition label, but information about critical nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron are. Look at the percentages listed. Five percent or less of those nutrients is low, 20 percent or more is high, which is more desirable. Manufacturers may list nutrients such vitamin E, folic acid, etc., to appeal to health-minded consumers. If a food has little or no vitamins or beneficial elements such as fiber you may want to limit how much you eat of it because it amounts to "empty calories."
Also, while studying the nutrition label don’t forget to take a hard look at the ingredient list. Ingredients listed on the label are in order based on the amount of each ingredient, so if the first, second or third ingredient is sugar that means there’s a lot of sugar in the product. Highly processed foods tend to contain many ingredients, especially ingredients not normally associated with natural foods. If you compare labels of products in similar categories you will see some will contain fewer ingredients. Those will tend to be healthier choices.
For additional information on the FDA’s Nutrition Facts Label, visit the FDA label web page.
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