How to read Nutrition Facts                               June '24

Understanding nutritional content is an essential part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It’s very important that we learn how to read the food labels of what we consume for various reasons.

Food labels provide information on the nutritional content of a product, including calories, macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. This information can help you make informed choices about the foods you eat and ensure you are meeting your nutritional needs. I also find it helpful that our labels now include size and calories per portion. For someone who is trying to maintain a healthy weight, this is very helpful. By understanding how much is in a single serving, you can better manage your calorie intake and maintain a healthy weight.

Pay attention to the percent daily value (%DV) listed next to each nutrient. This tells you how much of your daily recommended intake of that nutrient is in one serving of the product. Aim for foods that are lower in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium, and higher in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Look at the ingredients list of every product to see what is in it. Ingredients are listed in order of quantity, so the first few ingredients are the most prominent in the product, if at some point you find words that are difficult to pronounce, you should definitely reconsider consuming it. Natural healthy foods consist of minimal ingredients and the labels are easier to understand and pronounce.

Food labels make it easy to compare similar products and choose the one that best fits your dietary preferences and needs. By comparing labels, you can select foods that are lower in calories, saturated fat, sodium, or sugar.

Reading food labels is an essential tool for making informed decisions about the foods you eat and maintaining a balanced and healthy diet. Thank you for reading, I hope you find this information helpful.

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