calories
A measurement of how much energy you will get from 1 serving of this food. tip: Calories x Servings Per Container = Total Calories in the package.
calories from fat
This is the number of calories in the serving that come from the fat in the food. aim for: 20 to 35% of your total calories.5
types of fats saturated fats
A type of fat that is usually solid at room temperature. These often come from animals, such as cheese, butter, or the fat on meats. aim for: Less than 7% of total daily calories since eating foods that contain saturated fats can raise the level of cholesterol in your blood, which may increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.6
trans fat
A type of fat usually created industrially to extend the shelf life of liquid vegetable and solidify them during the process which occurs naturally in animal products such as meat and dairy. Be careful – a food package is allowed to state “0 g of trans fats,” as long as each serving contains less than 0.5 g. If any kind of partially hydrogenated oil appears in the ingredients list, the product includes trans fats.7 aim for: Less than 1% of daily calories, or as little as possible since trans fats can raise blood cholesterol levels (some studies suggest that they may raise levels more than saturated fats do), thus increasing the risk for heart disease.6 In fact, it is such a public health concern that New York City banned the use of trans fats in restaurants in 2008.
footnote
The Footnote is the lower part of the nutrition label, where the 2,000 estimated daily intake is officially stated. This statement doesn’t change from product to product because it shows recommended dietary advice for all Americans--it is not about a specific food.13
ingredients
Remember this rule about ingredients: First the most, last the least. The food is made mostly of the ingredient listed first and leastly of the last ingredient.14 t w
References: 1. “Cholesterol Basics” webmd.com. (2014). 2. “Food Labeling.” nlm.nih.gov. (2014). 3. “Vitamins and Minerals: How Much Should You Take?” webmd.com. (2012). 4. “How Many Can I Have?” choosemyplate.gov. (2014). 5. “Reading Food Labels: Calories from Fat.” livestrong.com. (2013). 6. “Know Your Fats.” heart.org. (2014). 7. “Trans-Fat Free Food, What’s the Truth?” webmd.com. (2014). 8. “Types of Fats.” webmd.com. (2013). 9. “Sodium and Salt.” heart.org. (2014). 10. “Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet” mayoclinic.org. (2012). 11. “What are Proteins and What do they Do?” ghr.nlm.nih.gov. (2014). 12. ”Protein.” hsph.harvard.edu. (2014). 13. “How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Label.” fda.gov. (2014). 14. “Guidance for Industry: A Food Labeling Guide.” fda.gov. (2013).
unsaturated fats
A type of fat that is usually liquid at room temperature. These “good” fats usually come from plants and seafood and include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Eating unsaturated fat instead of saturated fat may help improve blood cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.1,8 These fats aren’t always listed on the label, but the total fat - saturated and trans fats = unsaturated fats.
sodium (salt)
A high-sodium diet may lead to high blood pressure. aim for: Less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.9
fiber
total wellness ▪ spring 2014
Eating fiber may help to normalize bowel movements, lower cholesterol levels, and control blood sugar levels. aim for: 25 g per day for women and 38 g per day for men (if you are 50 or younger).10
protein
Proteins are large, complex molecules that do most of the work in cells and are required for the structure, function, and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs.11 aim for: At least 8 g per 20 lb of body weight per day (that is, 56 g for a 140 lb person).12 `
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