The United States Department of Agriculture food nutrition labels aren't just there for your reading pleasure as you eat your daily bowl of cereal, they are there to provide real facts about the food you're putting into your body. The USDA nutrition label can help you make better choices when it comes to fat and calories, and to choose foods that have greater nutritional content. It can also help give you a good idea on the size of serving, and other facts and information to help you take control of your diet.
Step 1
Read the serving size, which is the first item on the food nutrition label. The serving size is the amount people typically consume, notes KidsHealth.org, and the size serving that the rest of the label is based upon. It's important to understand the serving size, because you may think that your bag of chips is a healthy choice until you realize that it holds much more than one serving. The serving size will also tell you how many servings are in the package.
Step 2
Look at the amount of calories found in one serving of the food you're eating. If the serving size is five cookies, and you consume ten, you need to double the amount of calories that you've eaten in order to get an accurate portrayal of the calories that you consume.
Step 3
Read all of the items listed underneath "calories" and above "carbohydrates." According to the Food and Drug Administration, these are the items that you should limit your intake of, like sodium, fat and cholesterol. The numbers are maximum amounts. The next items, carbohydrates, sugars and protein can all be enjoyed in moderation, and use the minimum amounts listed beside the items.
Step 4
Note the items listed under protein. These are the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that you should strive to get enough of each day, including magnesium, vitamins A, C and D, calcium and iron. Each type of food has a different combination of nutrients, so it's important to read how much you are getting of each type.
Step 5
Look at the percentage values listed beside each amount of nutrients, vitamins and fat. This number lists how much of your daily value one serving of the food will give you. All of the USDA nutrition labels are based on a 2,000 or 2,500 calorie per day diet,says the National Library of Medicine, and if you consume more or less, you'll need to adjust the amounts to reflect how much of your diet they account for.
Member Comments