What's in a Food Label?

Food Labels

Although often overlooked, food labels are very important and provide useful information to the consumer. They tell us what ingredients are in the product we're eating, as well as the amount of specific nutrients the item contains. While most of us never look at them, we think you should give them a glance.

So, what you should look for in a Food Label ? 

1.  Ingredient List

• Ingredients are listed in descending order (1st ingredient is the most prevalent)
• Common allergens are also listed on this section. Are you allergic to milk, wheat or nuts ? Its compulsory that products let the consumer know about known allergens. 
• Keep away from products that have more than ten ingredients. This means that the product is highly processed. 

2. Nutrition Fact Panel

In the nutrition fact panel  you will find serving size, number of servings, calories per serving, total fat, sodium, total carbohydrate, and protein 

Look at the serving size: All of the nutrition information listed is based on the serving size presented in the top section. Therefore, if you eat more or less the numbers listed on the label will change.

Check calories : Calories provide a measure of how much energy you get from a serving of this food.

In general, for a 2,000 calorie diet :
- 40 calories per serving is considered low

- 100 calories per serving is considered moderate
- 400 calories or more per serving is considered high

Limit these :   Look for foods low in saturated and trans fats, cholesterol and sodium as they may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases, cancer or high blood pressure. Most of the fats you eat should be polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, those found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

Sugar : Foods with added sugars provide calories, but few essential nutrients. Make sure that added sugars are not listed as one of the first few ingredients. Other names for sugars include: corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, dextrose, sucrose, honey, and maple syrup.

Get enough of these : Make sure you get 100 percent of the fiber, vitamins and other nutrients you need every day. These vitamins and mineral – calcium, fiber, protein, iron and vitamin A and C are essential to a healthy body! Eating enough of these nutrients can improve your health and help reduce the risk of some diseases and conditions.

3. Percent Daily Values (%DV)

The % DV section tells you the percent of each nutrient in a single serving, in terms of the daily recommended amount. As a general rule if a Daily Value is 5% or less is considered low. If a value is 20 % or more is high.

Top things to look for on a label:

• Look for products with 10 or fewer ingredients

• If sugar is listed as one of the first ingredients the item is high in sugar and you probably shouldn't eat it or eat it in moderation 

• Generally, 5% DV or less is low, and 20% DV or more is considered high

• Keep saturated fats, sodium, trans fat and cholesterol low as they may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases, cancer or high blood pressure.

Sources:
American Health Association
US Food and Drug Administration