Learning Goal: I’m working on a nutritional sciences writing question and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.
A quick guide to reading the Nutrition Facts:
- Serving Size – this is where you will see the size of one serving and the number of servings in one container
- Total Calories – how many calories are in one serving? (If watching your caloric intake, this is important!)
- %Daily Value (%DV) – this will help evaluate how foods can fit into your daily meal plan
- based on 2,000 calories for an entire day, not just one meal (Do you eat more or less than 2,000 calories?)
- 5% or less of the %DV of a nutrient is considered low (good for saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol & sodium)
- 20% or more of the %DV of a nutrient is considered high (good for fiber, vitamins and minerals)
4. Fats, Sugars, Sodium – eating less of each can help lower your risk for chronic disease
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- Saturated fat and trans fats have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease (limit to <5 gm of fat per serving and no trans fats; overall intake of total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol should be limited)
- High intakes of sodium can increase your chance of high blood pressure (limit to <2400 mg)
- Too much added sugar can make it difficult to meet nutrient needs within a calorie requirement
5. Vitamins, Minerals, Fiber – aim for high levels of each
- an increased intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help lower your risk of chronic disease
- aim for 3 or more gm of fiber per serving with a goal of 25-30 gm per day (or 14 gm per 1,000 calories eaten)
- increase intake of foods containing Vitamins A&C, Calcium and Iron
6. Protein – an important nutrient needed for overall health (no recommended amount listed on the label)
7. Carbohydrates – sugars, starches and fiber (whole grains plus fruits and vegetables)
8. Sugars – ADDED SUGARS is now on the revised Nutrition Facts Labels
- Total grams of sugar should be less than 50% of the total grams of carbohydrate in a product
9. Ingredient list – items are listed in descending order by weight