Nutrition Labels Explained

by Ida Long on May 13, 2011

Walking through the supermarket you will see a nutrition label on every packaged food item. But what does all of the information on the label mean? While this tool was created to help educate the public, many people are confused as to how to comprehend the meaning behind the numbers.

The serving size indicates the amount that is recommended for the average person to consume at a meal. All of the information on the rest of the label is calculated for a serving of that size. If you end up eating two servings instead of one, just double the nutrition information to understand how many nutrients you have consumed.

The percent of your daily value represents how much of each vital nutrient is in each serving according to the standard recommended daily amount. The daily amount requirement is based on a diet of 2000 calories each day.

The nutrients listed in the middle of the nutrition label are all vital to healthy human growth. These include fats, sodium, protein, and sugar. Add up how much of each nutrient you consume each day to ensure that you get your recommended daily values.

The vitamins and minerals section is very important and is often overlooked in our rush to keep our sodium intake low and our protein and fiber intake high. Make sure that you get 100 percent of each vitamin and mineral listed to keep yourself healthy. This can be difficult to do because packaged foods generally have lower amounts than fresh vegetables and fruits.

Knowing how to use a nutrition label is important because it enables you to understand what you are eating and how much you should eat. When you calculate how much you eat each day, you will be able to make sure you get 100 percent of what you need to be healthy and strong.

Kentucky or Kansas families making lower incomes might be eligible to receive food stamps in Kansas, or Kentucky food stamps.

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