| Every food item you buy must list the | | | | the rest of the day. Staying within these |
| nutritional food facts somewhere on its | | | | limits ensures that you are getting just the |
| label. The trouble is, most of us have no | | | | right amount of each nutrient every day ofr |
| idea how to read them. Sure, the label may | | | | optimal health. |
| say the food we've chosen has 10g of sodium, | | | | |
| but what does that really mean? Let's take a | | | | Total Fat: |
| look at some common nutrition food facts to | | | | |
| find out. | | | | Everyone needs to eat a certain amount of fat |
| | | | to remain healthy and strong - but eat too |
| Nutrition food labels clearly outline the | | | | much and you'll become sluggish, depressed |
| nutrients found in foods using grams (g) or | | | | and unhealthy. Food labels list several |
| milligrams (mg). Milligrams are very small. | | | | different kinds of fat for better regulation: |
| As a matter of fact, you could fit 1,000 | | | | saturated, unsaturated, and trans fat. |
| milligrams in a single gram. | | | | |
| | | | Cholesterol and Sodium: |
| In addition to listing the grams of nutrients | | | | |
| found in the foods we eat, nutritional fact | | | | Cholesterol and sodium (salt) are usually |
| labels also give the daily percentage of that | | | | measured in milligrams and are featured on |
| nutrient a single serving of that food | | | | food labels for those people who must |
| includes. Keep in mind that these percentages | | | | restrict their intake of these nutrients. |
| are based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet, so | | | | |
| if you are eating less than that the | | | | Total Carbohydrate: |
| percentages would actually be higher. | | | | |
| | | | You need carbohydrates for energy. But too |
| Now, let's take a closer look at individual | | | | many can make you fat and cause other health |
| nutrition facts listed on most food labels: | | | | concerns. Carbohydrate levels are usually |
| | | | broken down into grams of sugar and grams of |
| Serving Size: | | | | dietary fiber on most food labels. |
| | | | |
| Serving size is the amount of food being | | | | Protein: |
| detailed within the nutrition label. It is | | | | |
| very important to always check the serving | | | | Protein helps the human body build and repair |
| size since one package or container may | | | | essential parts of the body, such as muscles, |
| contain several serving sizes, so if you eat | | | | blood, and organs. It is usually measured in |
| the entire thing the nutritional facts need | | | | grams. |
| to be multiplied accordingly. | | | | |
| | | | Vitamin A and Vitamin C: |
| Calories and Calories From Fat: | | | | |
| | | | These list the amounts of vitamin A and |
| The number of calories in a single tells you | | | | vitamin C, with each amount given as a |
| the amount of energy that is found in that | | | | percent daily value. |
| particular food. While the number of calories | | | | |
| is important, the calories from fat is even | | | | Calcium and Iron: |
| more important since they will be harder for | | | | |
| your body to burn. | | | | Calcium and iron are essential for a healthy |
| | | | body. These minerals are usually listed as |
| Percent Daily Value: | | | | daily percentages per serving. |
| | | | |
| A daily allowance is the percentage of food | | | | Now that you can understand your food labels |
| nutrient you should consumer in a day. So, if | | | | better, start checking out what you're eating |
| you eat a food with 445% of your daily | | | | and how much of a good thing (or not so good |
| allowance of sodium, you must be careful not | | | | thing) you're getting with each meal and |
| eat more items with high sodium content for | | | | snack. |