How to read nutritional labels?
Next, I will describe the four most important sections of a nutritional food label so you know how to read it and lose weight.
Did you know that food nutritional labels in Mexico are governed by NOM-051? However, it’s not always easy to know what to do with all the information on nutritional labels. Next, I will describe the four most important sections of a food label. And how you can use this information to make better purchasing decisions:
1.- Serving size
This section tells you what size the serving is and how many are in the container. It is important to know that all information on the label refers to what is contained in a single serving. On this label, the serving size is 1/4 cup (113 g) and the container contains 8 servings.
2.- Calories and “fat calories”
In this example, since there are 8 servings per container and 100 calories per serving, the calories are multiplied by the number of servings. Resulting in: 800 calories in the entire product. To know the calories from fat, we multiply the 8 servings by the 20 calories per serving, to obtain: a total of 160 calories from fat. Regarding calories per serving there is a recommendation, if the food has:
- 40 calories or less is considered low in calories.
- 100 calories is moderate amount of calories
- 400 calories or more, it is high in calories. Consult with your nutritionist what calorie requirement you need according to your individual characteristics: height, age, gender, complexion and lifestyle. If you are a student, office worker, athlete or housewife; everything counts.
3.- The percentage of daily value
On labels, the percentages for this value are based on a standard diet of 2,000 calories. If you are going to take into account the percentage daily value as a reference for making your decisions, and if the label says “Based on a 2,000 calorie diet”:
- a value of 5% or less will indicate that it is Low in the nutrient you are indicating.
- a value of 20% or more will indicate that it is High in the indicated nutrient. In the example on the label, it is noted that this product is low in total fat (3%), cholesterol (3%), and carbohydrates (1%), on the other hand it can be considered high in Sodium with 19%.
4.- Ingredients that must be kept under control
Identify the percentage of saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol and sodium, these must be at low levels, less than 5%. Its excessive consumption, above 20%, contributes to the appearance of heart disease, certain types of cancer and high blood pressure. In this case we can point out that the label is marking the Sodium at 19%, which is considered close to the value of **20%, **therefore it is considered a food high in Sodium. * If you want more information on nutrition and health topics, or need advice to find the healthiest eating plan to help you lose weight, **click here.
