For maximum protection against heart disease, the American Heart Association recommends keeping your total cholesterol below 200 mg/dL. Yet, even if your cholesterol levels are already low and you don't have to eat a cholesterol-reducing diet, paying attention to food labels can still be a rewarding habit. By reading the nutrition facts and ingredients of foods before you buy them, you can choose items that support optimal health, assist in weight maintenance and minimize your risk of chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes.
Weight Maintenance
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity rates in the United States have increased dramatically during the past two decades, with obesity prevalence exceeding 34 percent in some states. In order to avoid joining the millions of Americans struggling with extra body fat and weight-related diseases, maintaining a healthy calorie intake and limiting high-calorie foods is imperative. Food labels state how many calories are in each serving of food as well as how big a serving size is. By understanding how much energy is in a specific amount of food, you can gauge whether that food can fit into your diet without adding excessive calories. In addition, maintaining a healthy body weight by controlling your calorie intake can reduce your risk of high cholesterol in the future, even if your levels are currently low.
Nutritious Choices
Food labels list several nutrients everyone needs to stay healthy, regardless of your current cholesterol level. As the Food and Drug Administration explains, most Americans don't consume enough vitamin A, calcium, vitamin C, iron or dietary fiber in their daily diets. Food labels list these nutrients and show what percent of your daily requirement your food fulfills for each nutrient. By reading food labels and making note of the nutritional content, you can choose foods with higher levels of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals -- in turn supplying your body with the nutrition it needs while avoiding empty calories.
Food Allergies
In some cases, the most important part of a food label isn't the nutrition facts: It's the ingredients list. Approximately 4 percent of the population suffers from food allergies to dairy, peanuts, wheat, tree nuts, soy, fish, shellfish or other foods, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. If you have a food allergy or intolerance, reading the ingredients list at the bottom of food labels can help you identify and avoid items that may trigger an allergic response.
Ingredient Avoidance
Regardless of your current cholesterol levels, limiting certain ingredients in your diet can help you achieve better health. The Mayo Clinic recommends limiting your intake of saturated fat and trans fat, which not only raise your cholesterol but may also increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Dietary cholesterol, sodium and sugar should also be consumed in moderation, the Food and Drug Administration notes. By reading food labels, you can see the amounts of these ingredients in your food, helping you opt for items that contain lower amounts.
References
- American Heart Association: Levels of Cholesterol
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: U.S. Obesity Trends
- The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network: Food Allergy Facts and Statistics
- Mayo Clinic: Dietary Fats -- Know Which Types to Choose
- American Heart Association: Obesity Information
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