Read product ingredients and nutrition labels on packages of the food you select so you know what you are buying --- and eating. Nutrition labels on food packaging can be a useful tool to determine whether or not you are meeting your healthy eating goals. The labels are required by the United States Food and Drug Administration and are standard across all labeled products. They are black and white rectangles containing a grid of data, and you can usually find them on the side, back or bottom of the package.
Step 1
Read the serving information, the first thing you see on the nutrition label. Look for the serving size and the number of servings per package. Take care here to calculate the actual amount you plan to consume and use that quantity to work with the rest of the data on the label. If a serving size is 1/2 cup and you will consume 1 cup, double the figures for nutrition, calories and other measures to know what you are getting.
Step 2
Check the calories and macronutrients in the product. Look for the number of calories per serving and the amount of calories per serving that come from fat. Just below that, find the overall fat content and the percentages of saturated and trans fats. These are the unhealthy fats and an ideal percentage would be zero. Distinguish between total fat, which includes healthy unsaturated fats, and the amount of "bad" fat the product contains. Note that carbohydrates are broken down by amount and percentage of daily diet but also by grams of sugar and fiber. Find protein listed right below carbohydrates and check the section for sodium content as well. Pay close attention to this if you are on a salt-restricted diet.
Step 3
Look for vitamins A, C and D in the next section. The FDA requires that these vitamins be listed, along with the percentage of daily iron and calcium contained. A product that contains a significant amount of another vitamin or mineral may have that listed on the nutrition label as well. Figure your daily vitamin and mineral requirements met by this product by comparing your ideal number of daily calories to the average of 2,000 calories per day, listed at the bottom of the label. The FDA uses that number to fix percentages. If you consume fewer calories than 2,000 each day, the percentages of your daily requirements met by the product should be higher.
Step 4
Check the ingredients list for the product, as well as the nutrition label, to determine whether it is a healthy choice for you. Add as much fresh and unprocessed high quality food as you can to labeled products to create daily menus for maximum nutrition.
Tips and Warnings
- Use nutrition labels to compare the healthy values of different brands, but be sure the listed serving sizes are similar. Aim for very low to no sodium, trans fats, saturated fats and cholesterol percentages for a heart-healthy diet.
- Some grocery chains and individual markets put their own nutrition labels on food. These are not regulated by the FDA and may or may not contain reliable information about the nutritional value of the item.
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