Nutrition labels are very important to understanding what foods are healthy. This is the best way to see what foods typically are healthy choices. Learning how to read nutrition labels will help you do this. The following steps are one way you can use to do this based on a 2,000 calorie diet:
Step 1. Check the serving information at the top of the label
The serving information tell you how much food from the container or package is in a serving. Also, it says how many servings are in the whole package.
Step 2. Find total calories per serving
A calorie is a unit of measurement for energy in food. Our body uses the calories in food as energy. When too many calories are consumed, your body stores it as fat. Over time, the over-consumption of calories will lead to a higher build-up of fat. Eating less calories than your body needs will cause your body to use any fat that is stored as energy. If you are interested in counting calories and there is no nutrition label, you can find a calorie counter here.
In the page in the link above, there is a calorie counter where a consumer can check the amount of calories for foods where the nutrition facts are not easy to obtain. Click the link to explore nutrition facts. Source: caloriecontrol.org/healthy-weight-tool-kit/food-calorie-calculator/
Step 3. Limit the following nutrients
Sodium Saturated Fat Sugar Trans Fat (try to avoid this altogether)
Step 4. Load up on the following nutrients
Remember that moderation is very important. Make sure you are having the right serving. Protein Dietary Fiber Calcium Iron Vitamins
Step 5. Check the percentage of daily value
The percent of daily value (% DV) is the percentage of the nutrient you should have in a day from a single serving. If you are looking to consume less of a nutrient, you should consume something that is 5% or below its daily value. If you want more of a nutrient, look for 20% and up.
Source: https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/LabelingNutrition/UCM410490.pdf . Click on the link to get additional tips for checking nutrition labels. This is important because by checking the labels people will be able to understand how nutritious their food is.
On this worksheet, students will be able to check the nutrition facts in Oreos, a popular snack. The worksheet will help students to understand the cookies are an unhealthy choice. Source in link above.