Nutrition Labeling

One of the necessary skills for maintaining a healthy diet is reading and understanding a food label. The modern diet includes many prepared and prepackaged foods that, unless we read the labels, we cannot know what we are consuming. Making decisions based on food labels can help reduce risk factors for diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Federal law requires food labels to be accurate and prescribes the content and methods for listing nutritional values.

Let’s take a look at what can be found on a food label. Notice the two labels shown below. The first label is a sample label, much like the one on your snack. The second label is a blank label that we will complete and compare to the one on your snack. (Notice the gray areas, labeled with a letter.) As we examine the label you will follow along on your own label.