| 1. | The #1 Rule of Label Reading: The information on the label is for ONE SERVING ONLY! So, if the label on a loaf of bread says “Calories: 100,” and “Serving Size: 1 slice,” that means there are 100 calories in each slice of bread, NOT 100 calories in the entire loaf. |  |
| 2. | Calories are the amount of energy in food, and if that energy isn’t used up, it will be stored as fat. How many calories you need depends on your size, age, your level of physical activity, and other factors. |
| 3. | You may have noticed that there are different kinds of fat listed on the label. This can be confusing, but it is important to remember that too much saturated fat can cause heart disease. The “total fat” includes all kinds of fat. When choosing a snack, pick one that has less than 5 grams total fat. |
| 4. | Cholesterol- Too much cholesterol- a second cousin to fat- can lead to cardiovascular disease. Challenge yourself to eat less than 300 mg per day. If you have heart disease or high cholesterol, limit dietary cholesterol to 200 mg per day. |
| 5. | Sodium is another word for salt. If you are trying to reduce the salt in your diet pick foods that have less than 140 mg in a serving. Another way to lower salt in your diet is to pick foods that are labeled “low sodium,” “very low sodium,” or “sodium free.” Remember: “no salt added” does not always mean the food is low in sodium. (Hint: see “words that mean salt”). |
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| Words That Mean "Salt" (Sodium) | - Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Brine
- Cured
- Disodium
- Garlic, Onion, or Celery Salt
| - Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
- Pickled
- Smoked
- Sea Salt
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Sodium Chloride
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| 6. | Total Carbohydrate- This is an important figure for anyone with diabetes. Remember, carbohydrates are an important element of your diet. Of all nutrients, carbohydrates have the most dramatic effect on blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates are found in many foods including grains, fruits, and milk. |
| 7. | Fiber is usually found in plants. It helps digestion, and may help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. It can also delay the rise in blood glucose levels after meals. It is not digested and absorbed like other carbohydrates, and does not become blood glucose. Sources include, whole fruit (with skin), beans, veggies, and whole grains. |
| 8. | Sugar counts as a carbohydrate (and is already included in the “Total Carbohydrate” number. |
| Words That Mean "Sugar" | - Brown Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- Dextrose
- Fructose
- Glucose
| - Honey
- Invert Sugar
- Maple Syrup
- Molasses
- Turbinado
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| 9. | Protein is needed for growth and normal body functions. However, most Americans get more protein than they need. Most protein sources contain animal fat, so eat small servings of lean meat, fish and poultry. As an alternative to protein from meat, you might want to try vegetable proteins like beans, grains and cereals. |
| 10. | Vitamins- Your goal is 100% of each for the day. Don’t count on one food to do it. Let a combination of foods add up for the day. |
| 11. | Daily Values are meant to help us figure out how much of our nutritional needs are being met by the foods we select. Unfortunately, the estimates of what we need are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Most adults do not need this many calories so the Daily Values may not apply. It may be best to ignore them unless you are very interested and know how many calories you need. |
| 12. | The word “low” frequently appears on a lot of labels. What does it mean? - Low Fat: 3 grams of fat or less in each serving
- Low-Saturated Fat: 1 gram or less per serving
- Very Low Sodium: 35 milligrams of sodium or less per serving
- Low Sodium: 140 milligrams of sodium or less per serving
- Low calories: 40 calories or less per serving
- Low Cholesterol: 20 milligrams of cholesterol or less AND 2 grams or less of saturated fat per serving
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| 13. | Remember that the word “reduced” does NOT mean “low.” For example, just because a food label says “reduced fat,” does not mean the food is “low fat.” “Reduced” just means that the food has less fat than other foods like it. |
| 14. | The list of ingredients: - Ingredients are listed in order of weight. The ingredient that contributes the most weight to the final food product is the first ingredient on the list and so on.
- If you are trying to reduce the sugar in your diet, pick items that have sugar listed AFTER the first three ingredients (Hint: see “words that mean sugar”)
- To avoid saturated fat, avoid picking too many items that have the following words in the ingredient list: “hydrogenated,” “palm oil,” “whole milk,” “coconut oil,” “cream,” “milk solids”
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| 15. | If a product claims to be an “excellent source,” or a “good source,” of a particular nutrient (for example: “excellent source of fiber,”) the law says the food must truly have a lot of that nutrient in it. |
| 16. | When a product is called “healthy,” then it must be low in fat and saturated fat, and contain limited amounts of cholesterol and sodium. There are no laws on how much sugar can be in “healthy” foods. |
