Transcript
They say “you are what you eat”, so what are you made of? Making healthy food choices helps keep your body fit and strong, so learning how to read nutrition fact labels is the first step to making sure our body gets the proper nourishment.
The nutrition label is typically located on the back or side of most food products. However, some foods, like fresh fruits, vegetables, animal proteins, and alcohol are not required to have nutrition labels.
The top of the label shows us serving size information. But be careful! Serving sizes are based on what is typically eaten, not what is recommended by nutrition experts. Serving sizes help us calculate how many nutrients we are getting. For example, if you have twice the serving size amount, you will multiply the nutrients below by 2. If you have only half the serving size, you will divide all of the nutrients in half. People will have different nutrition needs based on their body type and health. Your medical team can help guide you towards healthy eating habits to fit your specific lifestyle.
Below the serving size is the calorie amount in each serving. The number of calories tells us how much energy our body will get from a food, but it does not tell us if the food is healthy or not. For example, 1 handful of candies has about the same calories as 1 cup of grapes with a piece of cheese. However, grapes and cheese provide you with more nutrition than candies do.
To understand how nutritious a food is, we need to look beyond the calorie count to the macro and micronutrients. Here you will see how many grams of each nutrient are in a food and the percentage of our daily needs. The Percent Daily Value shows us if a food is high or low in that nutrient.
For example, if you are looking for heart healthy choices, look for foods with a low daily value percentage of Saturated Fats, Sodium and Total Cholesterol. Aiming for 5% or less of the daily value of these nutrients can be part of a heart healthy diet but foods with over 20% could be less healthy. These nutrients can be found naturally in some foods so keep an eye on how much you are consuming throughout the day.
The Total Carbohydrates category includes sugar, added sugar, and dietary fiber. Carbohydrates are our body’s main source of energy so you do not need to avoid them. But since they naturally increase our blood sugar, it is important to know how much in a meal or snack works for our individual needs, especially for people living with diabetes. Typically, a meal containing 45-60g of total carbohydrates or a snack with less than 30g will give your body enough fuel to feel satisfied.
Strive to keep added sugars to less than 50g per day. If the label does not tell you if it’s natural or added sugar, try to find food options with less than 10g per serving.
Dietary Fiber is also an important part of our diet. It works to keep blood sugar steady, cholesterol and blood pressure low, and keeps you feeling full after eating. We recommend trying to eat 25-35g of fiber per day. Each little bit can add up!
Remember, if you are eating more than one food at a meal, add up the total calories and nutrients on each ingredient. When more questions come up, please ask your health care team or check out the updated nutrition fact label information on www.fda.gov/nutritioneducation.