If you really want to get a handle on what you are
eating and how to start cutting back, you really must learn what
follows. Here, we will discuss how to read the food label. The food
label was one of the best laws ever past. Called "The Nutrition
Labeling and Education Act" of 1990, it really was all about educating
the consumer. When it finally went into effect in 1994, every food
packaged and sold to the American consumer had to list its ingredients.
Finally, we had a chance to see what were putting into our bodies. But
the "Education" part of the law seemingly fell on its face. People saw
these strange labels, but the majority didn't have a clue as to what it
all meant. It's now over 10 years later and, while we have gotten used
to seeing them on our cans and packages, we still aren't quite sure
what the heck we are supposed to be looking at. Well, we are going to
remedy this right here and now. Let's learn what a food label displays
and what we, specifically, should be looking for.
You have all seen
them. Maybe they were not as colorful as the one shown here and
certainly not as large, but you will find them on every thing packaged
for sale to you, the consumer. Let's break it down, piece by
piece. At the top of the label is one of the most important part of the
entire label: the "serving size" and "servings per container." You see
these are important because everything listed below - all the calorie,
fat, and carbohydrate numbers are per serving. If the package
has 250 calories listed that is per serving, not per
container. If you buy large packages, there may be 6, 8 or more
"servings per container." If you just read the listing for "Calories," you don't have a clue
about how many calories there are per container. If there are
250 calories per serving and the package has 6 servings, that single
package has a total of 1500 calories! So, make sure you take note of
the "Servings Per Container." [Note 1] Notice
also that the calories per serving line also displays the "calories from fat" value. Since we
recommend a reduced fat eating plan, you really need to look at this
line closely. [Note 2]
In this section of the label, we get a more detailed
breakdown of the food content of the package. It lists total fat (and
breaks it down into the two harmful types of fat, "saturated" and
"trans" fat. It also lists cholesterol and sodium content. While we
concentrate on total fat, also make note of the types
of fat a food contains. Also, Your total daily cholesterol intake
should be less than 200 mg per day. Sodium intake should be less than
2000 mg per day. Just keep these in mind as you keep mental track of
what you select at the store to serve at home.
After fat, comes the other two type of calories,
carbohydrate and protein. You can see that our food example has 31
grams (124 calories) of carbohydrate and 5 grams (20 calories) or
protein. Also, take note of the breakdown of the carbohydrates: simple
sugar (5 grams or 20 calories) and dietary fiber (zero). Not a very
good combination, but not too bad. We would prefer a reverse breakdown
- less simple sugar and more dietary fiber. But the example labels
numbers are not too bad. Protein is not a major component of this
particular food. But you are not going to make much of a dent in your
daily protein requirement here. [Note 3]
These are the major vitamins, A and C, and calcium and iron content sections. Since we recommend that you take a multivitamin when reducing your eating your dietary intake and are stepping up your physical activity, it is imperative that you keep your micronutrient - vitamins and minerals - at a peak level. You don't need to take a handful of individual vitamins, like capsules of C or E. But a good-quality multivitamin with 100% of the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) for all the vitamins is all sufficient.
Take out your study cap and start learning what goes into your body. It is going to be an even more ubiquitous activity in the very near future as there are several bills in Congress that propose to require fast food restaurants to display similar information with their fat-filled "food" - and I do use the term with a grimace. Perhaps, we will begin to realize what all those hamburgers, French fries, and sausage-and-egg biscuit are doing to our bodies. You can get a jump on your healthier eating plan by learning now the basics of the food label. Practice by rummaging through your pantry and refrigerator and start looking at what's there. As I describe in Note 1, even the most studious "label-ologists" can sometimes be surprised.
Also, when reading food labels, know the lingo that is allowed for manufacturers
to place on food products. Think that "fat free" really means
there is no fat at all in the food? Think
again! Think "low fat" means tiny amounts of fat in the product?
Well, not according to my way of thinking. The "low fat" label
can be applied to any food that has 3 grams of fat or less per serving.
If a "serving" means 3 crackers and the pack you are holding has
21 crackers, there are 21 grams of fat in the package. That does not, at
least to my imagination, constitute a "low fat" product. Once
again, I refer you to the NHLBI for an excellent tip
sheet to decode the food label lingo.
1. I just pulled out a bag of one of my favorite snacks, nacho chips. It came as a shock to me, one who prides himself on reading food labels, to learn that my chips contained 140 calories per serving, And what was a "serving" according to this manufacturer? 11 chips! Eleven! And, how many "servings" were in this medium-sized bag? Sixteen! 16 servings at 140 calories per serving! That means that single bag of chips contained 2240 calories! As, in my heavier days, I had been known to take care of an entire bad of chips in one evening of TV, I now understand where one of the problems was. Nacho chips! And, yes, I still have them in my pantry but I am sure going to be a lot more careful in what I consider a "serving" of these treats in the future!
2. Remember: if fat makes up more than 30 percent of
the total calories of any food, make every attempt to avoid it.For
example, in the food label above, there are 250 calories per serving
and 110 fat calories per serving. So, in this example, fat makes up 44
percent of the calories in this food. So, in our philosophy, this food
is a "high risk" food. It is too "calorie dense," 250 calories for one
cup. Therefore, it is to be eaten rarely if at all.
3. If you are cutting back on calories, one place you should not take a swipe at is the grams of protein in your diet. You need a minimum of 0.5 to 0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight while reducing weight. This enables your body to have enough protein to build the muscle you need for exercise. Remember, the whole goal of these lifestyle changes is not to lose weight but to change your body composition. Cutting down the body fat and increasing your lean body tissue, or muscle. And the only way your body can build muscle is to have adequate protein in your diet. Cut back on fat, yes. Cut back on carbohydrate, at least the simple sugar portion of those "carbs." But don't decrease your protein content.
4. Take some time and do some homework in your own kitchen. Print out a few copies of the "Food Label Inventory" form and write down some of the information on the food labels in your favorite foods. I think you will start to get a better understanding of just where your food problems might lie and where you can make some easy changes in your dietary habits. I have been counseling on diet changes for patients for a long time and I still have surprises every time I start to read the food labels. There are some real traps out there in some very unlikely places. But, if you are diligent and make label reading a habit, you will chip away at your fat intake and, by doing so, make some healthier food choices.
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Albright Bariatric Clinic