How to Read Nutrition Labels

Part 1 – Breaking Down the Numbers:
We all know that we need to pay attention to nutrition labels in order to make informed, healthy decisions. But considering all the talk and awareness about health food, a lot of people are still very confused! How much fiber, fat, protein, sugar, and sodium should you be eating every day? How do those numbers relate to calories and serving sizes? With so many things to think about, it can be tempting to throw in the towel and forget about paying attention to any of it. Don’t. I’m here to help! Here’s Part 1 of How to Read Nutrition Labels, a two-part guide to help you understand what you’re eating, and whether you should continue to do so!

Serving Sizes and Calories

Start by looking at the serving size of the item in question. Remember that all nutrition label information is listed for one serving, however most things we buy contain more than that (from soda to potato chips). So look at the ‘Servings per Container’ number first.
Now glance at the calories and before you judge them completely, also look at the calories from fat. This is important to take into consideration because it’s shocking how high this number can be. Often, half or more of the calories in a product can come from fat. And that’s not good! Think of a calorie as a unit of energy (because that’s exactly what it is), and we need energy to fuel our bodies for each day. If most of that energy is fatty, that’s exactly how we’ll feel.

Nutrients
Let’s make this as simple as possible and separate nutrients into two categories: What to limit and what to get more of.

Limit – Total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sugars

Your total fat consumed should take up less than 20% of your daily diet. Stick with the good kind (mono-saturated) whenever possible. The recommended daily sodium limit is 2,300 milligrams. We get WAY more than that, often by lunch time, so pay close attention even if you think this doesn’t apply to you and your family. As for sugar – we are an over-sugared nation my friends! It’s in everything from ketchup to crackers. There is much debate over whether to consume natural sugars or substitutes but whatever your stance is, try to cut back and be aware of that serving size again. If a product has 16 grams of sugar, two servings per container and you eat the whole thing, that 32 grams of sugar better be worth it!

Get More – Fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals (especially vitamin A, C, calcium, and iron)

Most people don’t get enough of these super-nutrients, so try to buy foods that have more of them. A daily value of 5% or less for fiber is considered low (for more about daily values, keep reading), so you want to aim for more than that. A daily value of 20% or more for vitamins and minerals is considered high – a good thing in this case. In general, you want to consume .45 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day. That’s 68 grams for a 150 pound person. Depending on whether you’re someone who craves protein or carbs naturally, your protein-noshing efforts could come effortlessly. However for those of us who love carbs and for you sweet tooth’s out there, make a point to up your protein.

Daily Values - What That Means to You
A must-know about daily values: They’re based on a 2,000 calorie diet, a fact that never changes from product to product because of FDA requirements. So the percent values listed on all nutrition labels are ideal for a sedentary man or a moderately active woman. Highly active women, moderately active men, and teenage boys could need closer to 2,500 calories a day. Keep that in mind when you’re assessing the percentages and adjust them based on your calorie goals if you’re counting calories.

Got all that? Good! Stay tuned for Part 2 of How to Read Nutrition Labels which will cover how to break down the ingredients list.

Meet the Trainer

Crystal is a certified personal trainer through the
National Sports and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
She has a passion for helping others live a healthy lifestyle and coaching them to push their limits beyond what they think they are capable of.