Thursday, October 27, 2011

Food Labels 101

Learn what is in the food you consume and you are on your way to living a more nutritious lifestyle.  Nutrition labels tell you the facts.

Start at the top: Serving size and how many per container are important.  These are standard sizes used to measure food.  Pay special attention to this, especially when buying beverages.  Your sports drink may contain 2.5 servings.  Instead of 100 calories you may consume 250 calories when drinking the whole bottle.


Stats: Make sure that your calories from fat is less than half of your total calories.  Limit sodium and load up on protein or fiber to make sure you stay full throughout your day.  Vitamins like calcium, vitamin A/B/C, and iron are good, especially if the product includes more than 5% per serving.

Below it all: Another good thing to check is the list of ingredients.  Make sure you are able to read and understand what is in the products you purchase.  The less ingredients the better.  Limit artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, and dyes.  Make sure there are whole grains or soy, fresh fruits or veggies, and lean meats like fish or turkey.

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