Decoding nutrition labels
By Kathy Hagood
It should be easy
to shop for food that nourishes us properly and helps us
maintain a healthy weight. After all the Food and Drug
Administration requires food products to be labeled with
nutritional information.
However most
of us haven’t learned how to decipher nutritional labels so we
don’t get as much benefit from the information as we could.
“Nutrition
labels can be confusing for the average person,” said Kerri
Napoleon, a registered dietician with YMCA of Florida’s First
Coast.
One of the
biggest misconceptions is the size of a serving. Many people
assume what they consider a portion in real life to be one
serving. Actually it may be two, three, four or more servings
according to the standard serving size designated on a label.
“Portion
distortion” leads many of us to believe that we are taking in
fewer calories, fat, salt and sugar than we actually are.
“Average portion sizes have dramatically increased over the
years in this country, and it’s become a major cause of
obesity,” Jodi Brindisi, a registered dietician with Baptist
Medical Center.
So a
good first step is to look at the actual size of the serving on
the label, she and other dieticians recommend. Everything listed
on the label is based on that standard serving size. The serving
typically is listed in grams as well as in terms such as “˝ cup”
or “two tablespoons.” Those of us who aren’t familiar with such
measurements would do well to measure out food a few times to
learn what such servings sizes look like. Depending on the
specific product, it may take some calculation to understand
what a serving actually is.
For
example, one 34-gram serving of Oreos Sandwich Cookies, which
provides 160 calories, equals three cookies. So if you eat nine
cookies, three servings, you’re taking in 480 calories, about
one fourth of the 2,000 calories needed by the average woman
every day and one fifth the calories needed by the average man.
And nine Oreo cookies also amounts to three times the amount of
fat and saturated fat listed on the nutrition label. “There’s
nothing wrong with eating a few Oreos as a treat. Every food can
fit into a healthy diet if you take portion size into account,”
Brindisi said.
Of course if
a particular food is a trigger for over eating, it may be best
not to keep it at home. “We all have triggers. Some of us can’t
just eat a handful of potato chips. Some of us can’t stop with a
few Oreos,” Brindisi said. “For me it’s ice cream, so I choose
to just occasionally enjoy a small cup of it when I’m out.”
When looking
at the amount of calories in each serving, it’s important to
keep in mind your own individual calorie needs based on your
particular age, height, weight and activity level, said Melissa
Stewart, a registered dietician with the Mayo Clinic. “If you
look at the footnote on the label it’s based on a 2,000-calorie
diet, what an average woman needs each day to maintain a healthy
weight,” Stewart said.
Of
course we’re not all average, so it’s good for each of us to
know our actual calorie needs. Stewart recommends visiting
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598
to use the Mayo Clinic’s calculator to determine the calories
you need to maintain your current weight. If you’re trying lose
weight, you’ll want to cut and/or work off an average of 500
calories a day to lose a pound a week or 1,000 calories a day to
lose two pounds.
Speaking of fat, another section of the nutrition label
addresses the percent daily value of fat, cholesterol and
sodium, each of which if consumed in excess can lead to
dangerous health conditions. “And if you already have a health
condition such as heart disease or high blood pressure, you will
need to consume less than your average healthy adult,” Stewart
said.
For
example, people with heart disease or elevated cholesterol
levels will likely be directed by their physician to keep their
cholesterol, saturated fat and trans fat intake lower than 100
percent of the percent daily value, and those with high blood
pressure to keep their sodium intake to a minimum.
But
even healthy adults should pay careful attention to the daily
limits to avoid developing such conditions in the future. Some
foods are particularly high in salt and/or fat and should only
be eaten occasionally in limited quantities. “In general there
really aren’t any forbidden foods, it’s just how you incorporate
them into a balanced diet,” Brindisi said.
Foods containing healthy fats, including olive oil and
unsaturated fats in foods such as salmon, avocado and nuts,
should be sought out. The Mayo Clinic recommends 20 to 35
percent of a person’s daily caloric intake should be from
healthy fats. Healthy fats are important for good nutrition, to
keep meals satisfying and to help keep hunger pangs at bay.
While healthy fats aren’t typically listed on labels, they are
included in the amount of “total fat,” so if saturated and trans
fats are lower than the total fat, that’s a good indication the
product contains healthy fats. A look at the ingredients listed
can help determine if healthy fats, such as olive oil, are in
the product.
Many products boast they are “low fat” or “reduced fat,” but an
inspection of the nutrition label will help consumers sort out
if a product is really healthier, Napoleon pointed out. For
example, reduced fat peanut butter may have 10 less calories per
serving, but it includes greater amounts of unhealthy fat and
sugars. “When it comes to peanut butter, regular peanut butter
is actually healthier,” Napoleon said.
While carbohydrates sometimes get a bad rap, the Mayo Clinic
recommends 45 to 65 percent of total daily calorie intake be in
the form of carbohydrates. Healthy complex carbohydrates include
whole grains, vegetables and fruits.
The amount of sugars listed under carbohydrates is especially
important to check. Healthier products typically contain less
than 5 grams of sugars, Napoleon said. A look at the ingredient
list will help you determine what types of sugars or sweeteners
are being used.
Protein is listed in grams on the nutrition label. Ten to 30
percent of a person’s recommended daily caloric intake should be
in proteins, the Mayo Clinic suggests. “Protein helps our body
rebuild itself and keeps us sated,” Stewart said.
Fiber is listed on nutrition labels because it’s important in
lowering cholesterol in the blood and keeping the digestive
system regular. “A food containing 3 to 4 grams of fiber is good
and 6 to 8 grams or more is excellent,” Napoleon said.
Recommended daily values of fiber for women are between 21 and
25 grams and 30 and 38 grams for men, according to the Mayo
Clinic. Those on weight-loss programs can benefit from eating
even more fiber.
Not all vitamins are required to be listed on the nutrition
label, but information about critical nutrients such as vitamin
A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron are. Manufacturers may list
additional beneficial nutrients in the product such as vitamin
E, folic acid, etc. “I tell my patients to look at the
percentages of A, C, calcium and iron. Five percent or less is
low, 20 percent or more is high, which is more desirable,”
Stewart said.
If a food has little or no vitamins or beneficial elements such
as fiber you may want to limit how much you eat of it. And while
studying the nutrition label don’t forget to take a hard look at
the ingredient list. Ingredients listed on the label are in
order based on the amount of each ingredient, so if the first,
second or third ingredient is sugar that means there’s a lot of
sugar in the product.
Highly processed foods tend to contain many ingredients,
especially ingredients not normally associated with natural
foods, Brindisi said. “Compare labels of products in similar
categories. Some will contain fewer ingredients. Those will tend
to be healthier choices,” she said.
For additional information on the FDA’s Nutrition Facts Label,
visit
http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ConsumerInformation/ucm078889.htm#see1
Contents of website: Copyright 2004-2012
by Kathy Hagood |
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