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| How to read food labels |
You can't measure every bite that passes over your lips, but it's a good idea to measure most foods and drinks so you can feel the portion sizes.
It's a bloated world out there, and most people are surprised to find that their idea of one meal is actually two or three.
If you work at the bells and whistles, there are food scales pre-programmed with nutritional information, as well as scales that will keep your total daily food and nutrients intake. However, the only tools you really need are a simple and inexpensive gram scale, dry and liquid measuring cups, and an idea about reading food labels.
Of all the tools mentioned, reading food labels seems to be the most effective way to determine the right type of food to buy in the supermarket. Allows you to make reasonable food choices. Through the Nutrition Facts section of a specific grocery item, you can determine the amount of serving sizes offered in that product.
By using food labels, you can clearly understand the amount and types of nutrients available in the item. Typically, it contains information on saturated fat, sodium, total fat, fiber, and cholesterol "per serving."
However, understanding and reading these food labels can be very confusing. The average consumer will certainly ask what these numbers mean and how they will affect their diet intake if they are to religiously follow the serving guide as stated on the food label.
For a more clear and comprehensive understanding of the items mentioned on a food label, here is a list of things you need to know:
1. Serving Size
This is the staple you'll see on a food label.
The portion size stated on the food label indicates the amount of food that people usually consume. However, this does not necessarily mean that it reflects the amount of food you eat.
Moreover, the serving size determines the amount of nutrients that enter the body. This means that if you strictly follow the serving size, you will get the same amount of nutrients according to the serving size offered on the label.
For example, if your serving size says that one serving size is 54 grams, then that means you have to measure out and eat 54 grams and you just ate one serving. So to speak, the amount of nutrients mentioned on the food label is the same as the amount that entered your body considering the fact that you just ate 54 grams.
However, if you have eaten it all, and the food label says that each package equals 4 servings, then you need to calculate the amount of nutrients that entered your body. This means that if the label has 250 calories per serving, that means you have to multiply it by four to get your total calories.
2. Nutrients
This refers to the list of nutrients available in a particular ingredient. It is also where the nutritional claims of the product are stated based on the recommended daily dietary allowance. Typically, dietary amounts are based on both a 2,500-calorie diet and a 2,000 recommended dietary allowance.
To understand the numerical value of each ingredient, you should know that the "percent daily value" indicated on the food label is actually based on how a particular food fits into the recommended daily allowance of 2,000 calories.
If you have purchased an item that has a nutritional allowance that is different from the 2,000 calorie diet, simply divide the stipulated amount by 2,000 and you will be able to determine the "percent daily value" of the nutrients.
3. Ingredients
This refers to the list of ingredients that were used to manufacture the product. The list is usually ordered from the main ingredients that have the largest amount by weight up to the smallest amount. This simply means that the actual amount of food includes the largest amount of the main ingredient or the first ingredient and the minimum amount of the last ingredient.
4. Prompt label
This refers to the types of nutritional claims for a particular food ingredient. For example, if an item says it's sodium-free, it has less than 5 milligrams per serving or a low-fat item already has 3 grams of fat or less.
In fact, reading food labels can be very boring and confusing. However, once you get used to it, it will be easier for you to monitor your diet because you can already control how much you eat.
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