Understanding nutrition labels at the supermarket can be as daunting as trying to lose weight. So what should you be looking for when it comes to reading and understanding a nutrition label?
The first and most important piece of information is the Serving Size. It is listed first and that is where you need to start. Although the serving size of a food product is often given in household units, i.e., cups, tablespoons, or a portion of the food, it is not always that clear.
You might assume a package of food such as a personal size frozen pizza or a can of soup is one serving. But if you were to actually read the serving size on the nutrition label you would see that one serving of any of these items is actually only half the portion.
Another confusing factor when it comes to reading a nutrition label is what part of the label should you be focusing on? Is it the carbohydrates, fats, sodium, or calories? The answer really depends on what is important to you. If you are trying to manage your weight then calories are important. Managing blood pressure? Look at the sodium. If you are trying to lower your cholesterol both saturated fat and trans fat are important. If you have diabetes and are trying to control your blood sugar then you are going to want to look at the total carbohydrates per serving. Whatever your health goal, always look at the serving size first!
A lot of people wonder about trans fats and you can now find them on the nutrition label. Trans fats are found in foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. This includes snack foods, bakery products, even some margarine. A steady intake of trans fat can boost LDL or ‘bad’ blood cholesterol and at the same time can lower ‘good’ HDL cholesterol. If a food product indicates a zero next to Trans Fat, be aware that a serving of it could still supply up to a half a gram if ‘partially hydrogenated oil’ or ‘shortening’ is listed under ngredients.
So, look at the nutrition facts when picking up your next food item.
Always try to choose foods that are low in trans and saturated fats. To help you do this check out the Daily Value (D.V.) on the nutrition label. A food with a Daily Value of 5% or less indicates the food is ‘low’ in that nutrient. A food with a Daily Value of 20 per cent or higher indicates nutrient is high.
The bottom line is:
* Read the serving size on labels and compare that to how much you actually eat.
* Choose foods that are low in Saturated and trans fats (D.V. of 5% or less).
* Choose foods withmore fiber (D.V. of 20 per cent or higher) and less sugar.
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