Reading Food Labels
Reading food labels seem to be the most effective way of determining the proper type of food to be bought in the supermarket. They let you make sensible food selections. With food labels, you can clearly understand the amount and types of nutrients that are provided in the item.
Usually, they contain the information on saturated fat, sodium, total fat, fiber, and cholesterol amount “per serving.” Through the “Nutrition Facts” section in a particular item, you can determine the amount of serving sizes provided in that product as well as the nutritional value.A typical consumer would definitely ask what those numbers mean to understand how it will affect his or her diet. However, understanding and reading these food labels can be very confusing.
To further have a clear and more comprehensive understanding of the items stated in the food label, here is a list of things that you need to know:
1. Serving size
This is the primary item you will see in a food label.
The amount of servings stated in the food label refers to the quantity of food people usually consume. However, this does not necessarily mean that it reflects your very own amount of food intake, as most people are surprised to find that their idea of a single serving is actually two or three.
Moreover, serving size determines the amount of nutrients that enters the body. This means that if you will follow strictly what the serving size is, you will obtain the same amount of nutrients according to the serving size that was given in the label.
For instance, if the serving size says one serving size is equal to 57 grams, that would mean you have to measure 57 grams and eat that and you have just eaten one serving. So to speak, the amount of nutrients stated in the food label is the same amount that has entered your body considering the fact that you have just eaten 57 grams.
However, if you have eaten everything, and the food label says that each pack is equivalent to 4 servings, you have to calculate the amount of nutrients that have entered your body. This means that if the food label says 300 calories per serving that means you have to multiply it to four to get the total amount of calories you have taken.
2. Nutrients
This refers to the list of available nutrients in a particular item. It is also where the nutritional claims of the product based on the recommended daily dietary allowance are stated. Usually, the nutritional amounts are based on both the 2,500-calorie diets and the 2,000 recommended dietary allowances.
In order to understand the numeric value of each item, you should know that the “% daily value” that the food label indicates is actually based on how a particular food corresponds to the recommended daily dietary allowance for a 2,000 calorie.
If in the event that you have purchased an item that has a dietary allowance different from the 2,000-calorie diet, you just have to divide the stipulated amount by 2,000 and you will be able to identify the “%daily value” for the nutrients.
3. Ingredients
This relates to the list of the ingredients that were used to manufacture the product. The listing is usually arranged from the main ingredients that have the greater amount by weight up to the smallest quantity. This simply means that the actual quantity of the food includes the biggest quantity of the main ingredient or the first item and the minimum amount of the very last ingredient.
4. Label claim
This refers to the kinds of nutritional claims of a particular food item. For instance, if an item says it is sodium-free, it has less than 5 milligrams per serving or a low fat item actually contains 3 grams of fat or less.
Indeed, reading food labels can be very tedious and confusing. Nevertheless, once you get the hang of it, it would be easier for you to watch your diet because you can already control the amount of food that you take.
Eating Habits
The first step in determining whether you are eating right or not is to see what your eating habits currently are. You can monitor your eating habits for a week to see what is contained in these ingredients. You can then research online to see what the recommendations are in relation to this. You can also see what the nutrients and vitamins are in relation to this. By seeing what nutrients and ingredients are in everything you eat, you can see what the amount is that you should be eating.
The next step that should be taken is to find out what your individual needs are. For example, if you are overweight, you can find what changes need to be made in order to find a balance with your nutrition and health. If you are younger, pregnant, older, etc. there will also be differences. Balance in health and nutrition is also related to genetics and what your DNA needs with nutrients in relation to this. However, there are generalities that can be made to determine whether you are eating right.
From here, you can see what changes need to be made in order to find the correct balance in food. If you need supplements or vitamins in order to gain back balance, this will be an easy way to start. You can also find recommendations from a health care provider in order to find out what you can do in order to make sure that your eating habits are inline and balanced with what your body needs. By investigating into what you need and making the necessary changes, you will begin to feel better and your energy levels will increase.
Determining whether you are eating right or not is an individual measure that needs to be taken. There are several areas you can look into in order to determine this. Things such as the food pyramid and doctor’s advice for changes in lifestyle are available to you in order to eat right. These will all help you in finding what you need to eat right.
Eating right is an easy way to have more energy and a balance in your body. By helping yourself and investigating your individual needs, you can balance out your eating habits. With all of the choices that are available today, eating right is an important factor in maintaining health and allowing your body to have the right level of nutrients and minerals in proper functioning. Eating right can change your entire way of living and help with your needs in health. Conventional medicine agrees that a healthy diet offers a remarkable protection against nearly all the important illnesses of later life. The incidence of most major forms of cancer along with heart disease and strokes can be dramatically reduced through a dietary change.
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