Pardon me while I eavesdrop on your conversation in the grocery store; I only do it because most people fascinate me with their nutritional knowledge -- or lack thereof.
One of the most important steps in creating a healthy diet is to understand food labels. Most people think they understand labels, but judging from many of the conversations I've overheard, most people are wrong.
Let's use a common food product as an example: a can of Progresso minestrone soup.
The first step is to look at the serving size. This is the amount to which all the nutrients and percentages on the label apply. A serving of soup is one cup.
But if you look at the servings per container on the Progresso can, you'll find that it contains two cups of soup. If you want to eat an entire can, like most people do, you will need to double the amounts for the nutritional analysis on the label.
Calories are the most important fact on the label for most people. Regardless of the amounts of carbs and protein, it is the calories that count if you are looking to lose or gain weight.
So let's say we are all going to eat the entire can of soup. The label states it has 110 calories and 15 calories from fat per serving -- or 220 calories and 30 calories from fat in the entire can.
A little strategy I like to use to determine if a food has too many calories from fat is to multiply the calories from fat times two. If that number is higher than or close to the number of total calories, this is a higher-fat food. Using this as a guide, the soup is a healthy, lower-fat option.
Next, the total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium are listed. They are listed high on the label because these nutrients are most common -- or eaten in excess -- in the American diet. It is important to limit these nutrients. Keep saturated fat levels to 7 to 10 percent daily, sodium to 2,400 milligrams and cholesterol to 300 milligrams.
By Jan. 1, 2006, all nutrition labels will be required to list the trans fat, a nutrient that has a reputation for contributing to chronic diseases. Some labels already are listing it. Trans fat is commonly found in baked goods, crackers and items that are packaged to stay fresh.
Because most Americans don't get enough dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron in their diets, these are listed as required nutrients.
Carefully examine the percentages listed for daily values (or DV, which is the column labeled "% Daily Value"). In general, a value greater than 20 percent is considered high, while a value less than 5 percent is low.
Aim for high percentages of required nutrients and low percentages of nutrients that should be limited.
Keep in mind that the soup has 41 percent DV of sodium per serving, and that is only half the can.
Another item on the label is protein. A percent DV must be listed if a product's packaging makes the claim of "high in protein." Otherwise, it is not required because evidence shows protein intake is not a major public health concern.
This soup label indicates just four grams of protein per serving, so a percent DV is not listed. Therefore, this is not an ideal food source for protein.
When it comes to carbohydrates, a diet consisting of 2,000 to 2,500 calories requires 300 to 375 grams of carbs per day. This number consists of several types: dietary fibers, sugars and other carbohydrates. Carbs that are simple (non-nutritive) are called sugars. Aim for a carb content with more fiber than sugars, such as soup.
Finally, remember to read the ingredients. Ingredients are listed from highest to lowest amounts. Vegetarians should pay close attention to this list, because some vegetable soups contain chicken or beef broth.
In addition, make sure to read the bold print below the ingredients. The contents in bold are important for individuals with food allergies because they can be detrimental to their health.
