Understanding Nutrition
Understanding Nutrition Labeling:
Do you ever pay attention to nutrition labels on foods you buy? Are they easy to read and understand? And do you think such nutrition information is helpful in making healthier choices when shopping?
I personally made a habit of reading labels for many years now and would not buy anything without knowing what sort of nutrients are there in the food and in what amount.
All packaged foods must contain the name of the product, name and address of the manufacturer, net contents in terms of weight, measure or count, ingredients list and nutrition facts.
Nutrition facts panel: Serving size, calories, fat, protein, carbohydrate and fiber appear in almost all labels and some may include vitamins, minerals, sugar and sodium content.
Please note that:
• 1 g of fat = 9 kcal
• 1 g of protein = 4 kcal
• 1 g of carbohydrate = 4 kcal
• 1 g of fiber = 0 kcal
• 1 g of alcohol = 7 kcal
Although serving size is standardized, I am more interested in finding out the percentages: What percentage is fat, saturated fat, sugar and especially fiber?
Fat-free or low fat does not mean low in calories or sugar, just like low sugar does not mean low in calories or fat. Calories determine how much energy you obtain.
Calories on a food package are actually kilocalories and 1,000 calories = 1 kilocalorie. Same applies to exercise. When a fitness chart says you burn about 100 calories for every mile you jog, it means 100 kilocalories.
The percentage daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, but you may need more or less than 2,000 calories. Height, weight, gender, age and activity level all affect your caloric needs.
The Importance of Understanding Nutrition:
Modern Western diets are high in saturated and trans fats, sugar, cholesterol and salt while lacking the essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and dietary fiber. Processed foods are full of artificial flavors and preservatives.
It is critical to have a balanced diet of a variety of nutrients for health. It is very simple: Your body is what you eat, your mind is what you think and also what you eat! That’s right, the foods that you eat usually have an influence on your emotions and your mental health.
A poor diet and the wrong foods can lead to all sorts of problems from your body not functioning properly to waste accumulation in your body, from fatigue, hormonal imbalances and unhappy emotional state to several diseases such as diabetes, cancers and cardiovascular disease.
A good diet will give your body the raw materials, right amount of energy, and many nutrients you need to stay healthy. Good nutrition will also provide phytochemicals and antioxidants that will help keep you feeling young, looking great with a stronger immune system.
No single food contains all the essential nutrients your body needs to be healthy and function efficiently. The nutritional value of a person’s diet depends on the overall mixture, or balance of foods that is eaten over a period of time, as well as on the needs of the individual.
That is why a balanced diet is one that is likely to include a large number or a variety of foods, so adequate intakes of all the nutrients are achieved.
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References:
Grunert KG and Wills J (2007). A review of European research on consumer response to nutrition information on food labels. Journal of Public Health 15:385-399
EUFIC Webinar “Pan-European consumer research on in-store observation, understanding & use of nutrition information on food labels, combined with assessing nutrition knowledge.”
http://www.healthcastle.com/ nutrition-food-label.shtml.
http://www.all4naturalhealth.com/ understanding nutrition .html.
What are Carbohydrates? By Jennifer R. Scott, About.com Guide. http://weightloss.about.com/od/ understanding nutrition /a/bl_carbs.htm. Updated December 08, 2008
