Understanding the nutritional information for a given food is important because it allows you to determine whether something is a healthy choice or not, according to MayoClinic.com. The nutritional data is required by the Food and Drug Administration to be visible on most foods you purchase at the supermarket. It supplies how many calories, how much fat, cholesterol, sodium and a variety of vitamins and minerals are present in the food you want to eat. This information will help you decide if the food in question is one that will fit in a healthy and balanced diet, especially if you have specific health concerns, such as heart disease.
Step 1
Check the serving size. Many products that appear to be a single serving are not and if you don't realize this, you could mistakenly consume more calories and fat that you intended to. The serving size is one portion of the food so you can divide the package by however many servings it contains to restrict yourself to just one. For example, if you are holding a bag of chips that contains 4 servings, portion out 1/4 of the bag and save the rest for later.
Step 2
Look at the calorie content of the food. Calories provide your body with the fuel it needs to function, but eating more than you can burn off through the course of the day can lead to weight gain and health conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Keep in mind that the rest of the nutritional data percentages are based on a diet that consists of 2,000 calories, so if you eat less than that you will actually need to adjust those numbers to coincide with your daily intake.
Step 3
Read the percent daily values. Things you should limit include cholesterol, sodium and saturated and trans fat so foods that have high percentages of these items are ones to avoid most of the time. Fiber, vitamins and minerals are things that your body needs adequate supplies of for good health so foods that have high percentages of these nutrients are considered nutrient dense and make better choices. Remember, if you eat less than 2,000 calories each day, you will need to adjust these numbers. For example, if you consume 1,500 calories per day and a food has 20% of fiber needs, it will contribute 30% for you.
Step 4
Look over the footnote for additional information. The footnote appears when there is room on the label and will tell you the number of grams of fat, cholesterol, sodium and carbohydrates that are needed for a 2,000 and 2,500 calorie diet. You can adjust down for lower calorie intakes.
Things You'll Need
- Nutritional facts panel
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