When we all go to a shop or supermarket, we buy various things like biscuit packets, milk packets, yogurt cups, etc. You must have seen that almost every packet has some information written in a small box on the back. It often says '
nutrition facts'. But when we see the words and numbers on it, sometimes we can't figure out what these are. That's why, today we will talk about the simple meaning of these most important words on food labels. If you know this properly, it will be of great help to you in choosing the best thing that suits your health.
First, let's see what calories and serving size are.
This is the first thing most people look at. But this is also where many people get fooled.
- Calories : Simply put, a calorie is a unit of energy. Calories are the amount of energy our bodies get from the food we eat. Our bodies have a certain amount of calories they need each day. If we eat more than that, that extra energy gets stored as fat , leading to weight gain.
- Serving Size : This is the most important and misunderstood part. Everything on a food label, such as calories and fat content, is listed per serving . Imagine you bought a small packet of biscuits. The label might say "Serving Size: 4 biscuits" and "Calories: 150". This means that if you eat 4 biscuits, you will get 150 calories. But if there are 12 biscuits in that packet, if you eat the entire packet, you will get 150 x 3 = 450 calories! Therefore, it is essential to check how many servings the entire packet has.
Main nutrient components: carbohydrates, fat and sugar
Now let's look at the other main parts of the label.
Carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for our bodies. They are found in foods like bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, vegetables, and fruits. The `Total Carbohydrate` section on the label shows the total amount of carbohydrates in a single serving.
Importantly, this ``Total Carbohydrate`` value includes both fiber and sugars .
- Dietary Fiber: This is the part of plant foods that our bodies cannot digest. But it has many benefits. It makes you feel full, prevents constipation , and helps lower blood cholesterol levels . It is good for health to get at least 25-38 grams of fiber per day. If a food has more than 5 grams of fiber, it can be considered a high-fiber food.
- Sugars: This section of the label shows the amount of sugar in a food. This can include both naturally occurring sugars (such as fructose in fruit and lactose in milk) and added sugars . It is the added sugars that we should be most concerned about. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is another artificial sweetener used in these foods.
Fat
Although many people are afraid of the word fat, fat is actually essential for our bodies. We need fat to produce hormones and build cells. But what matters is
what type of fat we eat. Let's explain this further with the table below.
| Fat type | Description and examples | Impact on health |
|---|
| Good fats (Unsaturated fats) | Monounsaturated Fat: Found in avocados, olive oil, peanuts, and almonds. Polyunsaturated Fat: Found in salmon, walnuts, and soybean oil. These provide essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6. | Beneficial. Reduces bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and reduces the risk of heart disease. |
| Bad fat (Saturated Fat) | Found in animal products (meat, milk, butter, cheese) and coconut oil and palm oil. It is solid at room temperature. | Unhealthy. If consumed in excess, it can increase bad cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease. Be careful not to consume more than 5%-10% of your total daily calories from these. |
| Very bad fat (Trans Fat) | A type of artificially produced fat. These are formed when liquid vegetable oils are hydrogenated to make solid margarine and shortening. | Very harmful. Increases bad cholesterol (LDL), lowers good cholesterol (HDL), and greatly increases the risk of heart disease. Avoid foods containing these whenever possible. Even if the label says 0g, check the ingredients list for 'partially hydrogenated oil'. |
Things to definitely pay attention to: Cholesterol and sodium
Cholesterol
Most of the cholesterol we need is produced within our bodies. However, we also get cholesterol from the animal foods we eat (meat, egg yolks, dairy products). This is important for people with high blood cholesterol levels to be aware of.
Sodium
Sodium is simply salt. Although it is essential for nerve and muscle function, many of us eat far more salt than we need. Processed foods, canned foods, and instant noodles are especially high in sodium.
The average healthy adult should consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium (about a teaspoon of salt) per day. People with high blood pressure , diabetes , or kidney disease should limit their intake to 1,500 milligrams per day. Ask your doctor for more information.
Some other important words on the label
- % Daily Value: This tells us how much of a nutrient a person who consumes 2000 calories a day would get from a single serving of that food. This gives us an idea of how nutritious a food is.
- 5% or less: The nutrient is present in low amounts. (For example, for things like Saturated Fat and Sodium, the lower the %DV, the better).
- 20% or more: The nutrient is in high amounts (abundant). (For example, the higher the %DV value for things like Fiber, Vitamin D, Calcium, the better).
- Enriched: This means that nutrients that are removed during processing of a food are then added back into it. For example, when wheat is made into bread, B vitamins are removed. 'Enriched' bread has those vitamins added back into it.
- Fortified: This means adding nutrients to a food that were not originally in the food. For example, adding vitamin D to milk. Vitamin D helps the body absorb the calcium in milk.
- Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): This is a flavoring agent. We also call it 'Ajinomoto'. Although some people may experience mild allergic reactions when consuming this, the FDA has recognized it as "generally safe" in commonly used amounts.
Take-Home Message
- Check the Serving Size: Before looking at the number on the label, make sure it's for a single serving or the entire package.
- Watch out for sugar and salt: Choose foods that are low in added sugars and sodium. If sugars are listed first in the ingredients list, limit that food.
- Choose good fats, reduce bad fats: Choose foods that contain good fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Avoid foods that contain saturated fats and especially trans fats as much as possible.
- Eat more fiber: Include fiber-rich foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in your diet.
- Get help from the % Daily Value: If it's less than 5%, it's low in that nutrient. If it's more than 20%, it's high in that nutrient. This makes it easier to choose between good and bad.
- If in doubt: If you need dietary control due to your eating habits or a medical condition, talk to your doctor about it and get proper advice.
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