Do you want to know how much I love my job? Last week,
on my birthday, I chose to spend the day educating employees at a local Los
Angeles organization all about deciphering those often confusing nutrition
labels.
Lisa
and I have noticed that people tend to get hung up on the “numbers” – things
like sugar, fat, and fiber grams. But, when you focus on eating real food –
unprocessed, unpackaged food – the majority of the time, the nutrition takes
care of itself. That’s why we encourage our clients to focus on enjoying fresh
fruits and vegetables, whole grains, good-quality proteins and healthy fats in
reasonable portions.
With that being said, packaged
products have their place too. Finding the time and resources to fuel your body
and satisfy your taste buds with fresh food straight off the farm and
eloquently prepared in your kitchen is not always a practical reality.
#1. Ingredients
Check out the ingredient list first – it is usually
located just below the Nutrition Facts panel. We like Michael Pollan’s food
rule: it’s best to avoid ingredients
if you can’t pronounce it or don’t recognize it. Ingredients are
listed in descending order of predominance by weight; meaning the ingredient
that makes up most of the product is listed first.
Tips:
Sugar: Products with
high amounts of added sugar can offer a lot of empty calories, so try limiting
these (more on sugar below).
Whole Grain: If a product
is truly whole grain, the first ingredient listed must be whole grain.
Trans Fat: To be
confident that your product has NO trans fat (the kind of fat most harmful to
your heart), check the ingredient list and look for the words “partially
hydrogenated.” If you see these words, the product has trans fat -- and we
recommend you steer clear.
#2.
Serving Size
The
serving size is important as it identifies how much of the product is in an
individual serving. Remember all the information listed below about calories,
fat, etc. is the amount in one serving of the product.
#3.
Calories
Calories give us energy, but when our calorie intake
exceeds our calorie expenditure, it can lead to weight gain. We also want
you to keep in mind that not all calories are created equal. For
example, 50 calories from an apple also provides us with nutrients, phytochemicals
and fiber, whereas calories from candy or soda simply provides carbohydrates in
the form of added sugar.
#4. Fat
Nutrition experts are beginning to understand
more and more that it is not the amount of fat in our diet
that is of concern – is the type of fat we choose to eat. Saturated
and trans fat, when consumed in excess, can raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and
increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Try to limit your intake of these
types of fat and instead, focus on eating healthier dietary fats such polyunsaturated
and monounsaturated fat. Unsaturated
fats can actually improve your cholesterol and reduce the
risk of heart disease.
#5.
Cholesterol
Studies
have found that dietary cholesterol found in animal products such as dairy
products and meat can put your heart at risk for disease, too. Aim for less
than 300mg of cholesterol per day if you are at high risk for cardiovascular
disease or diabetes.
#6.
Sodium
The
American Dietary Guidelines recommends limiting our sodium intake to less than
2,000 mg per day – the average American is almost doubling that amount! One
helpful tip in reducing your sodium intake is to choose mainly unprocessed
foods. But, when buying a processed product, check the ingredients label. In
order for a product to be considered “low sodium” it must have less than 140 mg
of sodium per serving. Also beware that many low-fat products in the market
often contain more sodium than their counterparts to make up for flavor loss.
#7.
Total Carbohydrate
The
total carbohydrate portion of a nutrition label can be especially helpful for
those with diabetes, wanting to moderate and balance their carbohydrate intake
throughout the day. By looking on the nutrition label, you can see exactly how
many carbs are in one serving, which can help you choose appropriate products
and plan your meals or snacks accordingly.
#8.
Fiber
Fiber
helps to reduce cholesterol, prevent diabetes, helps with weight management,
and yes – keeps us regular! The average American consumes less than 14 grams of
fiber per day while current recommendations suggest we have a daily fiber
intake of about 25 – 35 grams day. Fiber is found in plant foods
such as fruits, vegetables, and grains, and is not typically found in animal
and dairy products. “High
fiber products,” those that have 5 grams or more of dietary fiber per serving,
may help you get your daily recommended intake.
#9.
Sugars
Sugar occurs
naturally in some foods like fruits, milk, and other dairy products. Added
sugars, on the other hand, are those that are added to
food and beverage products during processing and production to improve taste. Having
too much added sugar on a regular basis can be of concern as it can cause
tooth decay, poor nutrition, and increased triglycerides. Products like cereal,
yogurt, cookies, candy, and soda are often culprits of having a high amounts of
added sugar. According to the American Heart Association, we should aim to
keep our added sugar allotment to about 25g-35g per day; that translates to
approximately 100 -150 calories.
#10.
Protein
Protein is
an important part of our diets. The amount of recommended daily protein depends
on your age and health. We recommend incorporating a good quality protein
at each meal & snack. Protein helps to maintain a feeling of
fullness and helps to keep you satisfied in-between your meal & snack
time.
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