How to easily read nutrition labels - NutriExpert

Find out how to easily read nutrition labels.

There are so many nutrients in food, so many ingredients, so many facts to know about what's supposed to be good for you and what isn't? Fortunately for all of us, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has created a standardized format for the nutrition label that all processed and/or packaged consumer food products must display on the outside of their product. This way, no matter what the food is, you can easily compare its value to you with any other food.

There are three basic things to look for first on a nutrition label, and they are all conveniently grouped near the top, right under the heading "Nutrition Facts."

What is the serving size: the standardized amount (such as cups, tablespoons, or pieces) followed by the equivalent amount in the metric system (such as grams).

How many servings per container: Most packaged foods contain multiple servings in a single package, allowing for double, triple, quadruple, etc. caloric intake compared to a single serving.

How many calories are in a serving? In general, a single serving of about 40 calories is considered low calorie, a serving of about 100 calories is considered moderate and a serving of 400 calories is considered high.

Tracking the amount of servings you eat, based on calorie intake per serving, is a great way to manage your weight. Another way is to balance eating high calorie foods with low calorie foods earlier or later in the day.

The next step in using nutrition labels to help you manage your weight is to make the most of the calories you take in.

Use the % Daily Value to see how much of each nutrient the food actually contains. Daily values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. 5% or less of a nutrient's %DV is low, 20% or more of a nutrient's %DV is high. Limit your intake of total fat, cholesterol and sodium. There is no daily requirement for trans fatty acids (the most dangerous), although the amount per serving is listed on the label, so be sure to keep them to a minimum. Be sure to get enough dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron.

Once you have gathered all the information you need, simply ask yourself if a food makes sense for you in terms of calories and nutrients, and if it is best for you to include it in a meal or eat it as a stand-alone snack. If you are not satisfied with the answers to these questions for a particular food, the next question to ask yourself is whether you can find an appropriate alternative. The answer to this question is almost invariably "yes."