Nutrition Label Tips

Photo from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrition_facts_label

A lot of people are very conscious of what they eat. In order to eat just the right amount, they look at the nutrition labels to make sure they don’t go over what they’re supposed to eat. 

Research shows that people who look at nutrition labels are probably eating healthier than those who don’t. But just because a person always looks at nutrition labels and eats healthier than others doesn’t mean that he interprets the labels correctly. When reading labels, sometimes, there is label confusion.

Here are three tips in interpreting labels:

1. There's no such thing as a standard serving size. How much is one serving for you may not be the same for the manufacturer. Also, serving size differs depending on the brand and it would be good if to check this when comparing two different brands.

2. "Percent Daily Value" is based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet. This means that the percentage for each nutrient is based on a standard amount. So if you eat fewer than 2,000 calories make sure to check the label.

3. Recommendations aren't necessarily goals. The percentage in the nutrients may mean different things. For example, the percentage for fat and sodium may be considered as limits while for fiber and carbohydrates it may be considered as a minimum.

Blogpost by: Carl Chan

Reference:

Enos, Deborah. "3 Things to Know About Your Food's Nutrition Label." LiveScience. TechMedia

Network, 07 Feb. 2014. Web. 09 Feb. 2014.

<http://www.livescience.com/43201-nutrition-label-healthy-eating-tips.html>.