If you want to work your way toward a good diet, one method is to become a nutrition and calorie counter. You can monitor the nutrients you get from food to see what you need to add and what you can subtract from your diet to improve the quality of your daily nutrition and maintain your weight. It's easy to find out which foods are better for you by scanning the nutrition facts on food labels before you buy.
Benefits
In 1979, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) called for nutrition facts on food packages to address a growing nutritional imbalance in the American diet. When you know what's in the foods that you eat, you make wiser choices about their contents and calorie counts. By staying within a calorie limit and choosing foods that also meet the daily requirements for iron, calcium, vitamins and other nutrients, you stay healthy and control your weight. The U.S. Surgeon General notes that following a good diet also reduces the risk for contracting chronic illnesses down the road.
Limitations
The FDA calculates nutritional content of foods based on standard serving sizes that it creates and their contribution to an average 2,000-calorie diet. You may need more or fewer calories depending on your age, gender, activity level and life stage. For instance, an active adolescent boy and a pregnant woman need more calories and beneficial nutrients than they previously consumed. To set calorie boundaries, see a doctor or use a trusted computerized calorie calculator, such as the one provided by Mayo Clinic. Food label nutrition facts list the calorie counts for individual portions.
Identification
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) advises Americans to pursue a good diet rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A, C and E, and calcium, magnesium and potassium. Many vegetables and fruits contain vitamins A and C, as well as magnesium or potassium. Calcium is found in dairy products and canned salmon. Cooked dry beans contain high fiber, potassium, magnesium and iron. Whole grains provide fiber and magnesium.
Considerations
An average 2,000-calorie good diet should contain 25 grams dietary fiber, 3,500 milligrams (mg) potassium, and 400 mg magnesium daily. Vitamin A intake should reach 5,000 international units (IU) and vitamin E 30 IU; vitamin C is determined in milligrams and should be 60 mg daily. These numbers are expressed as the percentage of nutrient content in a single serving of food.
Function
Determine if you're getting enough fiber, vitamins and minerals by adding up the daily values (DV), or individual nutrient content, in your meals to reach 100 percent. Daily calcium intake, for example, should be 1,000 mg. A food serving that provides 200 mg of calcium is listed on the label nutrition facts as 20 percent DV. A serving that has 200 calories represents 10 percent of your total calorie count. The USDA Nutrient Database lists additional nutrient information for common foods as well as for unpackaged foods that don't have labels.
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