If you've become more aware of the nutritional information on food labels but wonder how it applies to your diet, government health agencies provide the answers. The FDA and USDA set the standards for food content labels and the dietary recommendations to which they refer. Mandatory nutrition facts on food packages are based on an average 2,000-calorie diet. The FDA recommends average daily values, or DVs, of essential nutrients, and the USDA guides consumers toward the types of foods that best provide them.
Maintain Appropriate Weight
Staying at the proper weight for your height and body type will help your bones, muscles, joints and organs stay strong and function properly. This places less of the strain on them that leads to degenerative conditions. The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans reports that calorie balance is a major factor in weight control. This means that, in general, you should consume as many calories as you use. You can do this by choosing foods that have moderate calorie counts and by practicing good eating and exercise habits.
Choose Variety Among the Food Groups
The FDA provides recommended daily allowances for essential nutrients in foods. For instance, the DV for total fat is 65 g; potassium, 3,500 mg; and calcium, 1,000 mg. These are the average amounts necessary for healthy and life-sustaining body functions. To achieve your totals daily, put together meals that include foods from the grain, fruit, vegetable, nuts and seeds, meats and fish, and dairy food groups. Choose different foods among these groups often, and you'll get the full range of nutrients over time.
Limit Some Nutrients
If overconsumed, fat, cholesterol and sodium can damage your health. The FDA helps you limit these nutrients by requiring their disclosure on food labels. Limit your total fat intake by using cooking oils in moderation, and by eating less saturated fat, found in meats and whole-milk dairy items, and trans fat, present in some baked goods and snack foods. Limit your cholesterol intake by avoiding fatty meats and shellfish. Limit your sodium intake by buying reduced-sodium prepared foods, especially soups and cured meats.
Increase Other Nutrients
Package labels also indicate a food product's content of nutrients that many American diets lack in sufficient quantities, such as fiber, vitamins and minerals. To get more of these beneficial nutrients, eat more whole grains, such as brown rice and bran cereal, and more fruits and vegetables. The end result of limiting some nutrients and emphasizing others will be a balanced diet.
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