Do you know how to read the nutritional label of food?

Do you know how to read the nutritional label of food?

The nutritional label is a tool that allows us to select the food we buy. Knowing the amount of nutrients we are going to eat is essential to choose the foods that is best for our needs and allows us to stay healthy.

The nutritional label is found in all drinks and packaged foods, in it we find the nutritional information of the food. The food industry must follow a standardized protocol to label their food products and let the consumer know the nutrients they are consuming.

Today you will learn the information you need to start using the nutrition facts label

It may seem complicated, but it is easy to understand and helps us to consciously and responsibly choose our foods.

I teach you how to read the nutritional label in 5 easy steps

1. Identify the serving size and number of servings per package

We find it at the top of the label just below "Nutrition Facts" this section show us how many servings are in the package and how large each serving is. Serving sizes are expressed in measures familiar to us such as cups, units, pieces, etc.

All nutritional information on the label is based on the serving size and not on the entire food package

That’s why is important to recognize the serving size and how many you have per container.

Frequently, a food package contains more than one serving!

2. Recognize calories and calories from fat

The calories per serving are indicated after the serving size and serving per container. Remember that the calories are for each serving and not for the entire package. Next to the calories per serving we see the calories from fat, this allows us to identify if the food is high or low in fat.

A product that not contain fat does not mean that not have calories, protein and carbohydrates also provide calories

• Proteins: 4kcal per 1g of protein
• Fats: 9kcal per 1g of fat
• Carbs: 4kcal per 1g of carbohydrate

Not all fats are bad, it is very important to identify the type of fat.

It is not the same to eat a handful of nuts that a handful of chips (fried potatoes)

3. Know the % of daily value and use it to compare nutrients

The% daily value shows how the nutrients in a serving of food contribute to a standard diet (used by industry) of 2000 or 2500kcal. Our requirements may differ from this. However, the% daily value is a tool that allows us to compare.

For example, if label says that it has 10% carbohydrates, this means that it provides 10% of carbohydrates that a person on a diet of 2000 or 2500kcal should eat in one day. Then the other 90% should be eaten throughout the day with other meals.

Food can be considered:

- High in the content of a nutrient when it contributes 20% or more of the% of the daily value

- Low in the content of a nutrient when it contributes 5% or less of% of the Daily Value

Nutrients found on the label

Fat

A balanced diet must have fats, these are necessary to keep our body healthy. In a healthy diet 20% to 30% of total calories should come from fat.

There are different types of fats

- Beneficial for our body: these are polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat.

- Harmful to our body: trans-fat and saturated fat.

Choose products that contain less than 5% of saturated fat and do not have trans fat.

Note: Trans fats are not reflected in% because they are not necessary for our body.

Cholesterol

Choose foods that have less than 20 mg of cholesterol per serving.

Sodium

Select foods that have 5% or less of %DV and always prefer foods with less than 140 mg of sodium per serving.

Processed foods normally have a high sodium content, this is added in their processing and is used to prolong their preservation. However, excess sodium in our diet can lead to health problems such as fluid retention, kidney disease and hypertension.

Total carbohydrates

The nutrition label indicates the amount of total carbohydrates, where fiber and sugar are included. And also, the specific amount of fiber and sugar separately. Choose foods with complex carbohydrates and high in fiber.

Sugar 

Indicates the amount of sugar added during food processing. The percentages of sugar are not reflected in the labels because, like trans fats they are not strictly necessary for our body. Choose foods low in sugar.

Daily sugar consumption should not exceed 25 or 30 grams of sugar per day. Which equals 5 or 6 teaspoons of coffee.

Fiber 

The recommendations vary between a consumption of 25 and 30 grams daily. The fiber is beneficial for our body, it favors a correct intestinal transit, it helps to keep cholesterol and blood sugar level.

Protein

Protein % may not be reflected on the labels because protein requirements vary greatly in people according to their lifestyle and physical activity level.

Vitamins and minerals

The vitamins that we normally see in the nutritional label are: vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium and iron which are mandatory to place on the label so they are seen more frequently. These vitamins may be present in the product naturally or after being fortified. This informs us if the food is a good source of some micronutrient.

4. Identify the nutrients you should limit and make sure you eat them as little as possible

(-) Saturated fat and trans fat

Prefer products that contain less than 5% saturated fat and do not have trans fats.

(-) Cholesterol

Choose foods that have less than 20 mg of cholesterol per serving.

(-) Sodium

Select foods that have 5% or less of% DV and always prefer foods with less than 140 mg of sodium per serving.

(-) Sugar

Choose foods with low sugar content. Daily sugar consumption should not exceed 25 or 30 grams of sugar per day. Which equals 5 teaspoons per day!

Eating too many of these nutrients may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and high blood pressure.

Try to keep these nutrients at the lowest possible level every day.

5. Check the ingredient list

Foods that have more than one ingredient must indicate it on the label, the ingredients are listed in order of proportion the first 5 ingredients in the list are those that most contain the food. If a product indicates that it is free of ... verify that it really is in the list of ingredients, many times the food industry tries to disguise the ingredients

Two common examples are sugar and trans fats, many times we find them with other names in the list of ingredients.

• Sugar: sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, high corn syrup fructose, corn syrup, dehydrated cane juice, honey, molasses, etc. 
• Trans fats: partially hydrogenated oil, hydrogenated oil.

The only way to teach the industry to create nutritional quality products is to become conscious and demanding consumers, the industry will end up being molded to the tastes and needs of consumers.

Author:

Roxana Sanchez

Nutritionist – Dietitian

Posted August 2019