Lesson 13 — Activity 4: Looking at Food Labels
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Lesson 13 — Activity 4: Looking at Food Labels
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When you eat fresh foods such as raw fruits and vegetables and whole grains such as rice, it is easy to know what nutrients you are eating.
It is more difficult to tell what nutrients are in processed foods such as puddings and cereal. In this activity, you will learn about reading food labels.
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The only sure way to know what's in foods that are processed is to read the labels on their packaging. Nutrition labels tell you what's inside the food you're eating and list its parts.
Follow the steps below to read a food label.
(Most nutrients shown are measured in grams, written as g. Some nutrients are measured in milligrams, or mg. Other information on the label is given in percentages.)
1. serving size: At the top of the label, you will see the serving size. Serving sizes will differ even on the same types of foods. And the Serving Size on a label may not equal the serving size you normally eat. If you eat twice the serving listed on the label, you will need to double all the numbers in the nutritional facts section. Keep this in mind when you are looking at the label, as it may not be a healthy alternative if you are going to eat more than the suggested serving.
2. Percent Daily Value: You can use the % daily value to see if a food has a little (less than 5%) or a lot (more than 15%) of a nutrient in the serving size. The % daily values for fats, carbohydrates, and proteins are based on a 2,000-calorie reference diet.
3. Calories: This section on the label tells you the total number of calories in each serving of the food. For example, one serving of Campbell’s Chunky Vegetable Beef soup provides 140 calories.
4. Fat: Fat is an important nutrient for health and plays an essential role in the body. There are many different kinds of fats found in foods. The total fat value found on the Nutrition Facts includes monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (from plant sources, such as canola oil) as well as saturated and trans fats (from animal or vegetable sources). The type and amount of fat you eat are important. Some types of fat like saturated and trans fats may increase your risk of developing heart disease and should be limited. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats should count for most of the total fat in your diet.
5. Sodium Content: Sodium is a mineral naturally found in many foods and can also be added by using table salt. Canadian adults need about 1,500 mg of sodium per day and should not consume more than 2,300 mg/day (or about 1 tsp).
6. Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates include fibre, starch, and sugar. Except for fibre, they provide energy to fuel your muscles and your brain during activity. Fibre, a non-digestible carbohydrate, is found in many foods and is important for daily and long-term health.
7. Vitamins and Minerals: This section of the label helps you choose nutrient-dense foods. The Nutrition Facts table is required to include information on calories and 13 "core" nutrients, including Vitamins A and C and the minerals, calcium and iron. There may be other vitamin and mineral nutrients in foods that may not be highlighted on the Nutritional Facts table.
Finally, you should look at the ingredient list on the label.
Ingredients
Water, Carrots, Potatoes, Seasoned Beef - Beef Broth And Modified Cornstarch Product (Beef, Beef Broth, Salt, Modified Cornstarch, Sodium Phosphate, Spice), Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), Celery, Contains Less Than 2% Of: Modified Food Starch, Green Beans, Peas, Wheat Flour, Potassium Chloride, Yeast Extract, Salt, Caramel Color, Flavoring, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Beef Tallow, Hydrolyzed Wheat Gluten, Dextrose, Onion Extract, Garlic Oil. Contains: Wheat, Soy.
A list of ingredients must be placed on the product. All of the ingredients for a food are listed in descending order by weight. The list of ingredients is also a source of information for people who want to avoid certain ingredients; for example, because of allergies.
| Ingredients Water, Carrots, Potatoes, Seasoned Beef - Beef Broth And Modified Cornstarch Product (Beef, Beef Broth, Salt, Modified Cornstarch, Sodium Phosphate, Spice), Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), Celery, Contains Less Than 2% Of: Modified Food Starch, Green Beans, Peas, Wheat Flour, Potassium Chloride, Yeast Extract, Salt, Caramel Color, Flavoring, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Beef Tallow, Hydrolyzed Wheat Gluten, Dextrose, Onion Extract, Garlic Oil. Contains: Wheat, Soy. |
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(adapted from the Coaching Association of Canada.)
Digging Deeper
Click on the Play button to watch a video that will give you further information regarding reading food labels.
Self-Check
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