Savvy sisters need to know how to read food labels to find the foods that best fit into a healthy eating plan. But, there is a catch. The labels are hard to read. And, by that, I mean they are hard to see and difficult to understand. I mean, what exactly does “low-fat” salad dressing or “high fiber cereal” mean?
But wait, there’s more. Food manufacturers also put terms like “natural,” “fresh,” and “no artificial ingredients” on food packages. And, guess what? Those terms aren’t regulated and have no legal meaning. So, put on your reading glasses while I explain the 9 things you need to look for when reading food labels.
Food Labeling Regulations
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the food labels on most foods. However, the Department of Agriculture regulates the food labels on meats and poultry. Both agencies work together to standardize the nutrition labels.
Nutrition Facts Panel
Food manufactures are required by law to put nutrition facts on food labels. This way, we have accurate information about the foods we buy. Nutrition facts are required on processed and packaged foods. Some foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh seafood, and spices do not require a nutrition label.
The nutrition facts panel section of the food label includes information on 9 of the most important things that you need to know when looking at food labels. They are:
- Serving size
- Calories
- Percentage (%) Daily Values
- Fat and Cholesterol
- Sodium
- Dietary Fiber
- Sugar
- Protein
- Ingredient List
Start with Serving Size on Food Labels
Always start with looking at the serving size. This is the amount people typically eat at one time. Why is this important? Well, it’s important because you may be eating more than you think. For example, if the serving size is a half-cup of ice cream, but you normally eat one cup, then you’ve actually eaten two servings.
Furthermore, you should always pay attention to the number of servings in the container. So, if you ate a pint of ice cream last night when you were bored and watching TV, you actually ate 4 servings. Shocking isn’t it? Here’s why. A serving of ice cream is ½ cup, and a pint of ice cream has 4 servings per container. So, you actually ate 4 times the servings of calories, fat, and cholesterol last night.
Check Out Calories on Food Labels
Next, check out how many calories are in a single serving. If you’re watching your weight, then you need to be aware of how many calories you eat daily. So, let’s stay with our ice cream example.
If a serving is ½ cup and it has 160 calories, and you ate the whole pint (4 cups), then you ate 640 calories. Don’t stop reading now. This is important to know because if you’re trying to lose weight and on a 1500 calorie diet, you just ate almost 50% of your total calories for the day.
Have you noticed the calorie information on restaurant menus and menu boards? Well, that is now required by law. The thought behind this is that you will pause and think about you will order when you see the calories in your meal.
Understand Percent (%) Daily Values
Use percent (%) Daily Values (DV) to evaluate how a particular food fits into your daily meal plan. Here’s why this is important. On the label, show the percentage of a particular nutrient in one serving of the food. However, the % DV are for the entire day, not just for the portion of the package you eat.
But that’s not all. Daily Values are average levels of nutrients based on a person eating 2,000 calories a day. Why 2,000 calories. Well, most people do not know how many calories they eat daily, so nutritionists use 2,000 as a reference. You may need more or less than 2,000 calories per day. So, for some nutrients you may need more or less than 100% DV.
The % DV tells you if the nutrients (fat, sodium, fiber, etc.) in one serving of food contribute a little or a lot to your total daily intake. Generally, 5% DV or less is low. So, in general, look for foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sugar.
On the other hand, 20% DV or more is high. So, in general, look for foods that are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Remember, you should not depend on one food to provide you with all your nutrients. Different foods have different nutrients and different amounts of nutrients.
Look at Fat and Cholesterol on Food Labels
Check out the amount of total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol in one serving of the good. Since these foods are linked to heart disease and some cancers, eat foods that are low in them. Foods with high amounts of fat include: bacon, burgers, fries, cheese, ice cream, chips, cakes, pies, etc. Remember, foods that come from animals contain cholesterol and saturated fats. Foods with high amounts of fat include:
- Fried foods
- Bacon
- Hamburgers
- French fries
- Cheese
- Ice cream
- Chips
- Cakes
- Pies
And, one last thing. Remember, foods that come from animals contain cholesterol and saturated fats. So, eat moderate amounts of animal products.
Watch Out For Sodium
Most of the sodium (salt) we consume come from processed foods and restaurant foods. The body needs a small amount of sodium to work properly. However, diets that are high in sodium increase your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Together, heart disease and stroke kill more Americans each year than any other disease.
So, if you have blood pressure, you definitely need to limit your intake of sodium. However, everyone benefits from limiting their sodium intake. As part of a healthy eating plan, we should consume no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium a per day. More than 40% of the sodium we eat each day comes from 10 types of food:
- Breads and rolls
- Pizza
- Sandwiches
- Cold cuts and cured meats
- Soups
- Burritos and tacos
- Snack foods (chips, pretzel, crackers, popcorn, etc.)
- Chicken
- Cheese
- Egg dishes and omelets
So, how much sodium do you think is in a serving of Campbell’s Tomato Soup? Well, one serving of the condensed soup is ½ cup, and it has a whopping 480 mg of sodium. That’s 20% DV of your sodium for the day.
Well, what about bacon? One slice of bacon has 137 mg of sodium. That’s about 6% DV of your sodium for the day.
Get Enough Dietary Fiber
We are a constipated society because we don’t get enough dietary fiber. Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, women need about 25 grams of fiber, while men need about 30 grams. Here’s why this is important. A diet with adequate amounts of fiber:
- Keeps your stomach full longer
- Supports weight loss
- Reduces cholesterol level
- Lowers risk of colon cancer, diverticular disease, and heart disease
- Reduces blood sugar levels
- Prevents constipation and keeps the colon healthy
- Provides fuels healthy gut bacteria
So, learn to compare foods based on the amount of fiber. For example, choose whole grain bread over white bread, and choose high-fiber cereals over low-fiber ones. But wait, there’s more. Beans and peas, vegetables, and fruits are naturally high in fiber, so you make sure that you stock up on these when you shop.
Limit Sugar
So, how much sugar should you eat. Well, today I am the bearer of bad news. The recommendation is that 10% or less of the diet should come from processed sugar. Why? Sugar has no nutritional value and it adds extra calories to the diet. It also wreaks havoc with your blood sugar.
Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, that is 200 calories. Maximum! For example, a 12-ounce can of regular soda has about 39 grams of sugar. And, how many calories is that? A whopping 156 calories.
Do you see how important this is? So, look for added sugars in the ingredients list. If sugar is listed in the first three ingredients, then the product has a lot of sugar! Added sugars have a lot of different names like:
- Cane sugar
- Brown sugar
- Corn sweetener
- Corn syrup
- Sucrose
- Dextrose
- Fructose
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Honey
- Invert sugar
- Lactose
- Malt syrup
- Maltose
- Molasses
- Raw sugar
- Turbinado sugar
- Trehalose
Check Out Protein
Most Americans eat the recommended amounts of protein to meet their needs. In fact, many get too much protein, and most of it come from meats. However, many individuals do not get enough proteins from plants, seafood, and dairy products. Why is this important? Well, diets that are high in meats and processed meats and processed poultry can increase the risk of developing heart disease disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some types of cancers. But, on the other hand, eating more plant proteins can reduce the risks of developing these diseases.
For the most part, if you mainly eat a plan-based diet or are a vegetarian, you need to make sure you’re getting enough protein. So, check out the amount of protein on the food label. Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, the Daily Value for protein is 50 grams.
Check the Ingredients List
The ingredients in a product is listed by quantity—from the highest to lowest amount. So, a good rule of thumb is to scan the first three ingredients since they make up most of the food. If sugar, refined flour, or fat are listed as one of the first three ingredients, then you can generally assume that it is not a healthy product if eaten in large amounts.
Similarly, if the ingredient list is longer than two or three lines, then this is a highly processed food. Finally, it is important to check the ingredient lists if you have food allergies or are sensitive to gluten. Check the ingredients list for common allergens like milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans.
Glance at Other Nutrients on Food Labels
Food labels also list other nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron because many people do not get enough of them in their diet. These nutrients keep you healthy and prevent many diseases. For example, calcium builds strong, healthy bones; and iron strengthens the blood and prevents anemia.
Now, It’s Your Turn
Well, I hope you now have more confidence in using food labels to make healthy food choices for you and your family. I think that you will also like the blog post on 12 tips for eating out at restaurants , eating healthy on a low budget, and knowing the difference between a portion and a serving size.
- What information do you usually look for on food labels?
- Which ones will you pay more attention to?
We look forward to hearing about your experience in the comment section of this blog. And, you can join the conversation on the Keep It Tight Sisters Facebook Page.
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