At one time it was very difficult for the public to ascertain the nutritional value and health implications of individual food products. In 1994, however, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) came to the rescue, by making it standard practice to provide all food offered for sale with a "Nutrition Facts" label. This label has now made it possible for people to check the quality, quantity, calorific value, and vitamin/mineral content of a wide range of food products.
These labels may seem rather complicated to understand on first inspection, but they are actually quite easy to decipher once you understand the general layout. Let's take a look:
Serving sizes - this is at the top of the list and may be indicated by a number or cup measurement. It is very important to follow this guide if you are counting your calories, otherwise you will not be able to keep track of your daily calorie intake.
Calories - Your calorie intake will automatically increase as you eat more food, and is therefore determined by the number of servings you consume - forty calories or less per serving is considered to be a low calorie product; one hundred or less to be moderate, and four hundred or more is considered to be in the high calorie bracket. This is calculated on an average adult requiring around 2,000 calories per day, but this quantity can obviously vary depending on age, size, gender, amount of daily exercise taken, health, etc.
Percentage daily value - This is sometimes referred to as DV. It displays the quantity of nutrients found in each serving, and applies to calories, sodium, fat, cholesterol, vitamins, etc.
Total fat - this is usually listed in grams and should be limited, as too much fat can lead to obesity, heart disease and cancer. For example, a diet consisting of 2000 calories per day should not include more than 65gms of fat.
Saturated fat - these are more commonly known as "bad fats" and also refer to trans fats which have been added to labels since 2006. These fats should be avoided as much as possible, as they are a major contributor to heart disease - this is why they are listed separately from other fats.
Cholesterol - this is also related to fat, and is present in animal products such as dairy produce and red meat. This is another major contributor to heart disease and other associated problems; so it is recommended that you do not exceed more than 300 milligrams of it per day.
Sodium - this is commonly known as salt and can cause high blood pressure in some people. You should try to limit your intake to around 2,400 to 3,000 mgs or less per day.
Total carbohydrate - these are often referred to as carbs and provide useful sources of energy. It is better, wherever possible, to choose whole grain healthier sources rather than refined ones.
Dietary fibre - otherwise known as roughage. This helps to reduce the risks of cancer and heart disease. Good sources are fruits, vegetables, and wholegrain foods.
Protein - this is important for building cells and maintaining muscles. There is no recommended daily amount mentioned on the food label, but as some protein foods have a high fat content it is better to stick to low fat options, such as chicken, low fat cheese, vegetable protein, etc.
Vitamins and minerals - few foods will contain the required daily intake, so it is important to get your daily allowance of these from a combination of different foods.
There are also a few other important points to look out for that appear regularly on food products these days. Here are a few examples:
Low - means that per serving, the food concerned does not exceed a certain amount of sodium, fat, cholesterol, or calories. Low-fat, for example, is usually 1g or less per serving, and low-sodium is around 140mg or less per actual serving.
High - this refers to a particular food having around 20% more of the normal daily value per serving.
Light - this is when one food product is compared to another, by stating that a certain item has fewer calories, or less fat than another.
Reduced - this refers to foods that are usually high in a certain nutrient and have been altered to reduce the value, such as reduced fat.
Some companies will actually use these tactics to assist in the selling of their products, by claiming that their product is lower in fat, higher in vitamin content, etc. than another. However, understanding food labels will prevent you from being lured into any false claims, and allow you to make healthier and more informed choices, regardless of brand names.