Food Label: Information for you to make healthy choice

When you buy foods in grocery store, you will see but may not pay attention to these food labels. Almost all prepackaged foods have their “Nutrition Facts” label attached. However, what does it really mean and how can you use it?

Let’s look at these two typical nutrition facts:


1. Serving Size: The amount of the food that all the nutrients information based on. For example, the second nutrition facts has a serving size of 204g per serving. If you consume 408g or 2 servings, everything on the label has to time two (calories become 140, total fat 1.0g etc.).

2. %Daily Value: Actual number of a nutrient contained in the food can be confusing, so %Daily Value (%DV) is used for easier comparison of similar products. By looking at %DV you know if this food product contain a little or a lot of specific nutrient. One serving of each food product above can provide sufficient Vitamin C for the rest of the day. You can add up the %DV of different products and know whether you have obtained sufficient amount of specific nutrients in a day.

3. A few things on the list that you should try not to exceed 100% DV:
- Total fat
- Saturated fat
- Trans fat
- Sodium

Overconsumption of these nutrients has a higher risk to develop cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and coronary heart diseases. While our body still need fat and sodium to function properly, saturated fat and trans fat should be avoided as possible as you can.

4. Total carbohydrate (dietary fiber and sugars) and protein information can be used to count calorie intake especially for muscle builder and diabetes patient.

5. Vitamins and minerals listed after protein vary on different food products. You should consume sufficient amount of these nutrients too.

6. List of ingredients is not shown here but can always be found below or beside Nutrition Facts. It provides all the ingredients used for a food and are listed by weight, from the most to the least. It can be important since it is a source of allergy information and a source of certain nutrient information.


So, how can these information be useful?
- to help you compare similar foods easily
If you like to choose from two or more similar food products that has the same price, look at the nutrient facts so that you are able to see which one is healthier.

- to help you choose the foods that meet your requirement
If you like to gain weight, lose weight or build your muscle, these information can help you in counting calorie and make a more suitable food choice.

- to help you look for a food that has more or less of a specific nutrient
If you are diagnosed of specific nutrients deficiency or overdose, or if you are concerned of specific nutrient intake, you can use these information to make your food choice.

Try to take a few seconds to read the nutrition facts next time when you do grocery so that you will have a healthier diet with the same amount of money that you have been spending on foods.