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When we do our grocery shopping, most of us just mindlessly grab our favorite brands and check them off our grocery lists. However, if you are looking to make a healthy lifestyle change, understanding the nutrition facts label of the products you grab will help.
It’s important to understand that all nutritional information varies by item; however, in this article, we will determine the general concept of each category on the label.
Serving Information
The first thing you are going to come across when reading a nutrition label is the serving information. The label will first share how many servings are in the container. For example, there could be four servings per container and the serving size is one cup. This means that there are four cups total in the container. Serving sizes are listed in familiar units, such as cups, ounces, or pieces. The serving size represents how much of a particular item you should eat in one sitting, though different bodies may need more or less of an item to get enough nutrients.
The serving size acts as a foundation for the rest of the label information. Nutrient and calorie information, for example, are all based on one serving. If the label shares that the serving size is one cup and you eat two, you must multiply the nutrients and calories by two.
Calories
As you go down the label, you will see calorie information next. Calories measure how much energy you will get from a single serving of a particular food. For example, if something is 280 calories per serving and you eat two servings, you will be consuming 560 calories.
If you want to maintain or achieve healthy body weight, you should balance the number of calories you consume with the calories you use. Everyone is different so the amount of calories you need may not be the same as someone of a different age, sex, height, weight, or level of physical activity.
Nutrients
Depending on what your food-related goals are, you can use the nutrient facts to support your dietary needs. You can customize a diet plan that balances what nutrients you need more of and nutrients you want to avoid.
Saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars are nutrients that may lead to negative health effects. Eating too much of these is tied to cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. They may also make it hard to stay within recommended calorie limits while still getting enough healthy nutrients.
There are some nutrients that most people do not get enough of, and it is recommended that they consume more. These include dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium. Having high fiber in your diet can lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels and reduce your calorie intake. Higher vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium in your diet can lower your risk of developing osteoporosis, anemia, and high blood pressure.
Percent Daily Value
The percent daily value shows how many nutrients are in one serving of food. For example, if the label were to say that it was 20 percent of your daily calcium, one serving would provide 20 percent of the calcium recommended for the day. The percent daily value is based on a 2,000-calorie diet for healthy adults. You can still utilize the daily value as a guide even if your diet is lower or higher in calories.
Agents
We hope this information on understanding the nutrition facts label is helpful to you.
Empower Brokerage is dedicated to helping you educate your clients on the insurance they need and staying on top of their health. Whether it’s through webinar training, one-on-one calls, seminars, or marketing plans. We want you to be successful. Give us a call if you have any questions 888-539-1633.
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Kayla is a graduate of Texas A&M University and joined the marketing team at Empower Brokerage in early 2021. She creates content for the company websites and assists with various marketing campaigns. LinkedIn Profile
