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Reading Food Labels

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Reading Food Labels

Foods that are packaged or in containers have a Nutrition Facts panel on the side or back. This is commonly called the food label. The food label helps you make healthy food choices by providing information about serving size and the amount of calories and various nutrients in the food. You can check the food label to find out if the food contains high or low amounts of nutrients that you want to limit in your diet. You can also use the food label to see if the food is a good source of the nutrients that you want to make sure are included in your diet.

HOW DO I READ THE FOOD LABEL?
• Begin by checking the serving size and number of servings in the container. All of the nutrition information listed on the food label is …show more content…

Choosing foods that are low in calories can help you manage your weight.
• Look at the numbers in the % Daily Value column for each listed nutrient. This gives you an idea of how much of the daily recommended amount for that nutrient is provided in one serving of the food. A daily value of 5% or less is considered low. A daily value of 20% or more is considered high.
• Check the amounts for the items you should limit in your diet. These include:
○ Total fat.
○ Saturated fat.
○ Trans fat.
○ Cholesterol.
○ Sodium.
• Check the amounts for the items you should make sure you get enough of. These include:
○ Dietary fiber.
○ Vitamins A and C.
○ Calcium.
○ Iron.

WHAT INFORMATION IS PROVIDED ON THE FOOD LABEL?
Serving …show more content…

The daily value is the recommended amount of the nutrient that you should get each day. For example, if 15% is listed next to dietary fiber, it means that one serving of the food will give you 15% of the recommended amount of fiber that you should get in a day. The daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet. You may get more or less than 2,000 calories in your diet each day, but the % Daily Value gives you an idea of whether the food contains a high or low amount of the listed nutrient. A daily value of 5% or less is low. A daily value of 20% or more is

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