Knowing how to read food labels is very important, if you have health conditions and need to follow special diet, and crucial when seeking to achieve your fitness goals!
The food label, or the so called nutrition facts label, is required by the Food and Drug Administration on most packaged foods and beverages. Learn how to read it, and you are one step closer to reach your health goals!
Your cheat sheet to smarter eat!
A lot of people will focus at one thing when reading the food label, such as calories or vitamins. If you don’t read the entire label you will miss a very important information that could help you maintain a healthy diet.
The first thing you should start with when reading your next food label is Serving Size!
Serving sizes are listed in standard measurements such as cups, or in our case pieces. The label also includes the number of servings per container to help you calculate the calories and nutrients in the entire package. Some people will just look at the calories eat the entire package and in our case calculate three times less calories than they will actually eat!
The first thing we all look for at the food label are the Calories.
The food label shows the amount of calories per serving and most importantly the calories that come from fat. That allows you to compare between foods and find the one that will best fit you.
The nutrients are the heart of the food label.
The nutrients are very important, and you should always read them. This can help you track whether you’re getting all the nutrients you need, too much, or not enough.
The percent daily value is what will help you determine if you meet your daily nutrient needs.
The percent daily value shows how much of a specific nutrient one serving of the product has, as a percentage of how much you should eat during the day. The percentage is based on 2,000 calorie diet which is a general reference point. Some people may need less calories if trying to lose weight, or more calories for active people who want to maintain weight.
The footnote at the end of the food label is the place where you can find percentage value based on 2,000 and 2,500 calories.
You should think of 2,000 calories as general point but not exactly what your personal calorie goal should be. Based on what your goal is you can use the footnote for easier calculation. For example, in our case based on 2,000 calorie diet we should get less than 65g. of total fat. Based on 2.500 calories diet the total fat should be less than 80g. My diet is based on 1,500 calories, which means I should get less than 50g. of total fat!
It is so nice that the food label gives us so much information, which give us a choice. Read your next food label, and make better, and healthier choice.