Why does reading labels seem like reading another language? By: Larkin Merrit
Well, today we are going to have “nutrition label reading 101”. My hope is that by the end of this post all of you will be more knowledgeable consumers, and be savvy to what the healthier option really is!
So- first off take a look at the image below. We will be using this as a reference.
1. Let’s take it from the TOP!
It is so important to pay attention to serving size. Many times servings sizes are unrealistic (I mean seriously who only eats 3 wheat thins in one sitting?). So, pay attention to this number because it will dictate whether you need to divide or multiply all of the values found on the rest of the label.
2. Calories, Calories, Calories…
Many times people read only the calories on a nutrition label, and use this number to decide whether an item is healthy or not. This is a big NO NO. Calories are often times negligible. What really matters is how healthful and nutritious the calories are. So, next time you pay too much attention to the calorie amount, remember READ ON! The only way to tell if the calories are “empty” (meaning that they lack nutritional value) or nutritive is to read all of the info below.
3. Things we should limit
So, this is where most people slip up. These values can help you decide whether a food is unhealthy and should be eaten in moderation. Let’s talk about the specifics.
Total fat is a combination of the values for the “bad” fats AND the “good” fats. Therefore, I usually tend to ignore this number. “Good” fats are beneficial to our bodies and include unsaturated fats that are often found in fish, avocados, and nuts and seeds. MyPlate recommends that we increase our consumption of unsaturated fats. So, resist the temptation to compare foods in terms of total fat. The stuff you should really pay attention to is just below it.
Saturated fats are one of the “bad” fats that we get in our diet. MyPlate recommends that we limit these fats as much as possible. That being said, we can expect to see saturated fats in products that have animal fats in them, like butter or lard. Sometimes saturated fat is used to ensure the quality of some of our favorite foods, like the mac-n-cheese in the example above. So, remember that although we should limit these fats, they are ok to have in moderation. Consider what kind of food you are buying in this case. When comparing foods it might be savvy to choose the one that has less saturated fat.
Trans fat is the “big bad wolf” of the fats. MyPlate recommends ZERO trans fat in our diets. Try to avoid the foods that you find that contain trans fat. See if there is another option that contains less or no trans fat.
*So, look past total fat and consider the amounts of saturated and trans fat. You may find that a food item has less total fat, but is actually higher in both bad fats than another item.*
Cholesterol is not a number that I usually pay much attention to. If you are directed by your doctor or health professional to maintain a low cholesterol diet, this number will be important for you. Otherwise, it is far more important to recognize and compare saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium in a product than it is for you to compare cholesterol.
This number is very important. It is one that is often misleading because of serving size. But, since we are super smart, we have already taken serving size into consideration J this won’t be a problem for us. MyPlate recommends that we keep our daily sodium intake under 2300mg. My rule of thumb for most packaged products is to keep this number around 500mg. This may seem high, but remember, we have 2300mg to work with for the entire day. If you have been eating healthy and have been consuming a lot of fruits, vegetables, and whole foods throughout the day it is ok to let this number exceed 500mg. Just be aware of the sodium amounts, and if given the opportunity, choose the lower sodium option when comparing.
MyPlate recommends that we limit the amount of added sugars we consume. But who has any idea of what 55g of sugar actually looks like? Here is the rule of thumb: There are about 12g of sugar in one tablespoon of granulated sugar. If you have trouble visualizing a tablespoon of sugar, try thinking about it this way: 1 standard packet of granulated sugar has about 4g of sugar in it. So, when you read the label on the back of that can of Red Bull and see that it has 27g of sugar in it, you will know that it has a little over 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar in it, or about 7 sugar packets. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I would add 7 sugar packets to my cup of coffee. By putting the sugar amount in grams many companies can fool you, but now that you know the secret, you will be able to visualize the actual amount you are consuming.
4. I like it, I love it, I want some MORE of it!
Fiber is great! Fiber is present mostly in fruits, vegetables, and grains. So, when shopping for these types of foods you should expect to see a higher fiber amount. If you don’t, you might want to shop around for a different product. When looking at fiber you only really need to pay attention to the percentage amount. If a product is 10% or more fiber then it is considered to be a “good source of fiber”. Fiber is a great deciding factor if you are ever “on the fence” about an item.
When analyzing protein amounts it is important to ask yourself “What do I want from this product?” Are you looking for a snack? Or are you looking for a meal? I find this amount very important when considering granola bars and other snack bars. Many times we substitute meals with these kinds of products. So, when you are buying these it may be more important to look at the protein amount than anything else. For protein we want to pay attention to the gram amount. Anything around or above 10g of protein can act as a meal-replacement. If you are choosing a product for this purpose it is very important that you find something with this value. However, if you are just choosing a product as a side item for a meal or as just a snack, protein amounts do not really matter as much. When we compared a “Clif Bar” with a “Nutri-Grain Bar” we found that the “Clif Bar” was a little higher in sodium, sugar, and total fat, but it was also high enough in protein to count as a meal replacement, whereas the “Nutri-Grain Bar” did not have nearly enough protein to count as a meal. So, ask yourself “What am I looking for?”
Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, and Iron:
So, it may seem strange that of all of the nutrients these are the only ones featured on the nutrition label. These four are the most pivotal to our health, least likely to be present in most foods, and are most likely to be deficient in most of our diets. Iron-deficiency, or anemia, is prevalent among dancers and can lead to fatigue and poor performance and endurance. Calcium is especially important for dancers because we are constantly doing intense weight-bearing exercise that is building bone density. Vitamin A is crucial to our sight and Vitamin C is crucial to Iron absorption. These values may only be of importance to you if you know that you are deficient in any of these areas. For example, if you are lactose-intolerant and don’t consume dairy products you may put more consideration into the amount of calcium that is present in the foods that you purchase. When discussing these values I often talk about breakfast cereals. Many cereals that may seem unhealthy in appearance are fortified with these nutrients. Most cereals that are healthier in appearance may be filled with whole grains, but lack fortification. So, when buying cereal ask yourself “Am I buying this product to use it as a nutritional supplement or am I buying this product as a source of whole grains or fiber etc?” These decisions should be made after considering the composition of your normal diet, and your individual needs. In other words, it may be ok for you to buy that higher sugar fortified cereal if you know that it will play an important role in supplying you with vital nutrients that you may otherwise not get from your diet.
I know that this is A LOT to consider when looking at nutrition labels. However, reading nutrition labels and actually KNOWING what you are looking at can help you make healthier decisions for yourself and for your family. You are in control of your diet and of the things that you eat and learning how to fully understand these labels can really help you feel confident in that control.
Remember, I am always available if you have any questions about any of this.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!
