Understanding Nutrition Labels – 5 Simple Steps You Need To Know :

Step 1: Check the Serving Size

Learning how to read nutrition labels is an important first step in learning about what you’re eating. The serving size on the package needs clarification, so make sure it matches up with your desired intake amount before consuming any products containing these details.

Step 2: Look at the Calories

Calorie provides the amount of energy obtained from a single serving in terms of calories. so you can choose the right one for your diet.

Step 3: Check the percent Daily Value (% Daily Value)

The percent daily value on nutrition labels is a great way to learn about the nutrients in your food. The percent scale tells you if there’s plenty or not so much of that nutrient present for each serving size, which can help with meal planning and weight control. The percentage is an easy way to compare the nutrient content in varying foods also.

What Then Is Little Or More?

· Little means a DV of 5% or less
· A lot means a DV of 15% or more

Step 4: Try to get more of these Nutrients

The body needs a variety of nutrients in order to function properly and be at its best. You should look for more Vitamin A, Iron (for blood production), Vitamin C & Calcium because these vitamins can help promote good health. Read more: Is Nutrisystem Weight Loss Program Important For Your Diet?

Step 5: Try to Obtain Less of these Nutrients

There are many nutrients that can be bad for our bodies, especially if we have a high intake of them. These include sodium, saturated fat cholesterol, and trans fats among others

Use Nutrition Facts to:

· Compare products at ease
· Know the nutrition value of foods
· Manage special diets like those with low sodium
· You can decrease or increase the intake of a nutrient such as saturated fat or fiber, depending on your goals.
Example:

Step 1: The Serving Size: both packages provide one burger on each as its Information.
Step 2: Calories: The calorie content in each burger is 350, while the chicken version has only 210.
Step 3: Check the % Daily Value:
When you’re looking to make a healthier choice at the fast-food joint, scan your numbers and see which burger has fewer calories based on certain nutrients.
Step 5: The nutrients you want less of: The beef burger has more saturated fat and a higher content of total fats than the chicken. Despite this, a chicken burger contains over two times as much sodium in comparison to its counterpart.
The Bottom Line
The beef burger is the best choice if you want iron-rich food. However, for those looking to maintain their weight and reduce sodium intake at the same time – go with chicken.

What about the Nutrition Claims?

Nutrition facts provide information about the amount of a certain nutrient in food such as fat or fiber. Despite being optional, they have to meet government regulations before appearing on package labels and advertisements for products with these claims must also follow specific guidelines too.
Examples of Common Claims:

1. ‘Source of Fiber’

The ‘Source of Fibre’ column means that the food provides at least 2 grams of fiber in the amount specified on this table. Foods high with sources are listed as ‘Very high source of fiber’ while very strong ones give 7gram. while ‘ high source of fiber’ contains about 5 grams for a single meal.

2. ‘Low Fat’

The term ‘low fat’ is often used to indicate that the food contains less than 3 grams of fats in total, which includes in the Nutritional Facts Table.

3. ‘Cholesterol Free’

The term ‘Cholesterol Free’ means that there are very minimal amounts of cholesterol in the food you’re eating, below 2 mg per serving. It also means these foods contain low saturated fat and trans fats which are in the Nutrition Facts Table.

4. Sodium-Free

The claim ‘Sodium Free’ means that there is less than 5 mg of sodium in the food amount specified on the nutrition facts table.

5. Reduced in Calories

When a food item is marked as ‘Reduced in Calories,’ it means that the calorie intake from carbohydrates and fat has been reduced to 25%. In most cases, this will be compared to regular versions of those same foods.

6. ‘Light’

The term ‘Light’ is only allowed in foods that have been reduced to promote weight loss or reduce fat levels. or The sensory characteristics of these products, like their color and taste, can also be described as light-colored/tasting for this reason.”
The Unknown Facts About Nutrition Labels

‘Sugar-Free’ is not always the Best

You can’t always trust the “sugar-free” claim on a food label. It might actually just mean that they’re using natural sweeteners like molasses, dates, honey, or even syrup, so it’s just a kind of trick of marketing.

If You Can’t Read It, Why Eat It?

However, if the ingredient sounds too technical or complex for your average person then it is most likely being added as a food preservative or sweetener.

Caloric density is important when it comes to weight loss. Eating foods that are higher in calories but keep you fuller for longer will help avoid mid-day binges, which can be very unhealthy.
The calories you need to eat will depend on what kind of product it is and your diet, but there is a ‘rules of thumb.’ Snacks should be somewhere between 130 and 250 calories while meals typically range from 300 – to 600 cal per serving.

Some Fats are Friendly

You should be cautious when it comes to the fat in your diet. Although saturated fats have not been proven as causes heart disease, they can still change cholesterol levels and cause inflammation anywhere in our bodies.
Polyunsaturated Fats are known to be good, but there are two types of polyunsaturated fats: omega-3s (healthy) and sixes(unhealthy). The former is found in fatty fish like salmon or tuna.