Nutrition information labels are designed for the consumer to make astute decisions regarding healthy eating. Nutritional labeling affords the opportunity to discern whether a product meets an individual's criteria for a healthy diet. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has regulated the claims and guidelines found on labels. The FDA's involvement ensures the consumer that the product provides the nutritional benefits that are claimed on the label.
Servings
Every food item has a "Nutritional Facts" section. The first part of this section includes the "Serving Size' and "Servings per Container." The serving size illustrates the volume of a serving in either cups or grams. The servings per container denotes how many of the servings there all in the entire package of the product.
Amount per Serving
Amount per serving designates a breakdown of the calories and nutrients in actual amounts. Calories per serving are denoted as well as how many of those calories are derived from fat, per serving. The other nutrients and substances, such as fat (saturated, unsaturated, trans fat), cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, sugar, fiber and proteins are listed in measurements of grams or milligrams.
Percentage of Daily Values
Also included in the amount per serving section is that of percentages of daily values (DV) of the aforementioned nutrients. DVs are based on recommended dietary allowances (RDA) levels and current nutritional standards for health. Therefore, each item listed (such as carbs, fats, proteins) in its quantity is also referenced as what percent of recommended daily intake it represents. DVs are based on a 2000 kilocalorie energy intake.
Ingredients
The last section of the nutrition facts labeling is that of listed ingredients. Manufacturers are required by law to list the ingredients in descending order based on weight. Thus, the first ingredient listed comprises more of the weight or volume of that product. This is vital information to know. For example, a diabetic needing to monitor sugar intake should avoid products that lists sugar or sugar derivatives (fructose, glucose, sucrose and maltose) as its first, second, or even third ingredient.
Other considerations
There are also required guidelines for food label claims. Many food manufacturers indicate on their labeling that the product is either fat-free, low-saturated fat, cholesterol-free, sugar free, so on and so forth. There are strict federal guidelines that must be met in support of these assertions. For instance, an item can be listed as fat-free is it contains less than 0.5 g of fat per serving. In order for a product to be deemed cholesterol-free, it must contain less than 2 mg per serving. Guidelines can be found at the websites for the FDA and USDA.
References
- "Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 3rd ed." Nancy Clark; 2003.
- "Sports and Fitness Nutrition," Robert Wildman and Barry Miller; 2004.
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