Nutrition Labeling
One of the necessary skills for good nutrition is reading and understanding a food label. The modern diet includes so many prepared and prepackaged foods that unless we read the labels, we cannot know what we are consuming. Using food labels can reduce the risk factors for diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Federal law requires the labels to be accurate and prescribes the content and methods of determining nutritional value.
Let’s take a look at what can be found on the food label. Notice the two labels shown. The first label is a sample label much like the one on your snack. The second label is a blank standard food label which we will use to complete as you compare it to your snack. (Notice the gray areas, labeled with a letter.) As we examine the label you will follow along on your own label.
For this activity you will learn more about the label by going to the FDA website. Questions on the study guide will follow the narrative on the website, so you can answer questions as you go. Download a copy of the study guide for ease of use, or use the questions shown below.
Food Label Study Guide
Answer the questions that follow and use the gray highlighted area to fill in your personal label when directed to do so.
- Why is it important to note the serving size and the number of servings per package?
- What on the label will help you figure how many calories you actually eat? Enter the calories of your snack on your label.
- The Daily Value represents the percentage of the recommend amount of the item this product supplies. It uses 2000 calories as the benchmark. Nutritionists recommend that not more than 20% of your calories come from fat. How many calories are from fat in your snack? Enter them on your label.
- Which nutrients on the label should be limited? List them and explain why.
- Enter the Fat (E), Saturated Fat (F), and Trans Fat from you snack.
E:
F:
Remember these are items that you must limit.
Enter the other items to be limited on your label. - Enter the percentages of the daily value of the fats and other nutrients to be limited on your label. List some diseases associated with cholesterol and sodium and enter the amounts from your snack on the label.
- After the carbohydrates, what category label would you give to the fiber and vitamins? Why?
- Enter your carbohydrates, protein and fiber amounts.
Carbohydrates:
Protein:
Fiber: - How can these nutrients improve health?
- To which foods do the upper limits apply? What is the upper limit of fat? What does that mean?
- How should the DV% be used by the consumer?
- Look at the DV% of the snack item you chose. If you had consumed only one serving, which nutrient did you consume the highest percentage of you daily allotment.?
- How much of the DV% did this item contribute to those nutrients you need to be sure to get enough of?
- What conclusions can you form about the nutritional value of the snack item you chose?
Now you have had some practice in reading a food label. Will you use it?
