How to Read Food Labels
Living a
healthy lifestyle can be a bit overwhelming due to all the choices that are available. When shopping for food, it is important to read the food label in order to determine what product is the healthiest option. Compare products and labels.
Food labels provide nutrition facts such as calories, number of servings, and macronutrients. The first thing to look for in a food label is the serving size because the nutrition facts provided are specific to the serving size. Often people don’t see any
weight loss progress because they don’t read the serving size, so they are actually eating more than they thought.
Next, you should look at the
carbohydrates, specifically at the fiber. You should opt for foods with at least 3 or 4 grams of fiber per serving such as legumes, beans, whole grain breads, and fruits. You should also check the fat,
low saturated fat in particular. Some great options include fish, poultry, whole grains, and reduced-fat dairy products. Under fats, you will also find the trans fat content. Trans fat
increases low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is the “bad” cholesterol, and decreases the high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is the “good” cholesterol. Lastly, you will notice that the daily percentage value is listed, and this is important because it will tell you how much of each nutrient you have consumed, and how much you have left. The daily percentage value is based on a consumption of 2000 calories a day.
Next, you should look at the carbohydrates, specifically at the fiber. You should opt for foods with at least 3 or 4 grams of fiber per serving such as legumes, beans, whole grain breads, and fruits. You should also check the fat, low saturated fat in particular. Some great options include fish, poultry, whole grains, and reduced-fat dairy products. Under fats, you will also find the trans fat content. Trans fat increases low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is the “bad” cholesterol, and decreases the high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is the “good” cholesterol. Lastly, you will notice that the daily percentage value is listed, and this is important because it will tell you how much of each nutrient you have consumed, and how much you have left. The daily percentage value is based on a consumption of 2000 calories a day.