Pretty packages grab our attention in the grocery store. But pretty doesn’t always mean healthy. Before you put a food item in your cart, make sure you read the nutrition label and list of ingredients. It tells you everything you need to know about whether you’re making a good decision.
Serving Information – Pay close attention to the number of servings listed on the package or container. For example, in many cases, an average can of soup contains more than one serving. So that 100 calorie meal posted on the label, could be closer to 150, or even 200 if you eat the whole thing.
Know Calorie Intake – Be aware how many calories are in each serving. Obviously, it’s a bad idea to get the majority of your calories from one meal. Keep in mind consuming more servings increases your caloric intake.
Limit Certain Nutrients – Watch out for saturated and trans fats along with sodium. According to the American Heart Association, based on a 2,000 calorie diet you should not consume more than 11-13 grams of saturated fat, as little trans-fat as possible, and no more than 1,500 mg of sodium.
Order of Ingredients – On product labels, ingredients are listed in order of predominance, with the ingredients used in the highest amounts first, followed by descending order by those in lesser quantities. Sugar and sodium however can be difficult to identify, because they can be listed by a number of different names. Do some research to make sure you know exactly what you may be eating.
Learn more at:
American Heart Association