Learning About Food Labels

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Did you know that food companies are required

to give you the facts about what you’re eating

and drinking?

But have you ever seen a box, bottle, or package say, “This is

very unhealthy!”

Nope! That is why it is important to understand how to read nutrition labels so you can make that decision for yourself.

Main Menu

Total Fat

CholesterolSodiumTotal Carbohydrate

SugarsProtein

Calories 155Click the category on the nutrition label if you need to

navigate to a specific section.

The best way to complete this module is to start from the

beginning and continue until the end.

After you are done with each slide, press the next button.

Take a look at this food label

for some cheese

crackers. We’re going to take

some time and understand

what it means.

Serving Size

Serving Size is located at the top of the label. It tells you the amount of food that the rest of the information on the label refers to.

This label says that the serving size is 26 crackers, which is equal to 30 grams.

Servings Per Container

This tells you how many servings are in a container.

This label says there are about 13 servings in this box. If each person ate one serving, this box would feed 13 people.

Let’s practice what we’ve learned!

How many servings are in this bag of chips? How much is in a serving size?

A. There are 12 1 oz. servings.B. There are 15 1 oz. servings.C. There are 28 12 oz. servings.

NOT QUITE!Take another look at the label.

BACK TO THE QUESTION

YOU’RE RIGHT!

There are 12 1 oz. servings.

CaloriesWhat is a calorie?Watch this video to find how about Calories and how our bodies use them. Click the picture below to be linked to the video.

Calories• One serving of this snack has 140

Calories. • Below Calories, you will also see

Calories from Fat. This tells you how many of the Calories come from fat. This label says that 45 of the Calories come from fat.

• Experts say that only about 30% of your daily Calories should come from fat.

Helpful Hint!When looking at the next section, it is best to look

at the percentages rather than the grams. The percentages are usually based on a 2,000 Calorie

diet.

FatWe need some fat in our diet, but too much can lead to obesity and other problems. This bag of snacks has 5 grams of total fat, which is 8% of your total daily value.

FatUnder Total Fat you will often see other types of fat like saturated fats and trans fats. These types of fats are not good for your body.

Compare the difference in fat between these two nutrition labels.

Time for a Review!Based on a 2,000 Calorie diet, this food contains how many total grams of fat per serving?

A. 8%B. 0 gramsC. 5 grams

Give it another try!Look closely at the label and remember you are

looking for grams of total fat.

BACK TO THE QUESTION

CORRECT!This food contains 5 grams of fat

per serving.

SodiumSodium is a mineral found in

salt. You need it in small amounts, but a lot of sodium is

not good for your body. This label says that this food has 10% of your daily sodium intake.

CarbohydratesCarbohydrates give your body energy by breaking the food

down into simple sugars. Foods like pasta, bread, and potatoes

are high in carbohydrates. This food has 42 g of total

carbohydrates.

SugarsProcessed sugars are added to

snacks that are not good for you and should be eaten in small

amounts. This is a label from a bottle of Dr. Pepper. Look at all

that sugar!

Test your knowledge with this question!

According to the label, which of the following holds the amount for 5% of

our daily recommended diet?A. Sodium

B. Total CarbohydratesC. Sugars

Let’s look at that question again.

Remember to look next to the listing to find the percentage. Look

for the listing next to 5%.

BACK TO THE QUESTION

GREAT JOB!This food has 5% of the amount of total carbohydrates that we should

have in our diet.

ProteinProtein is important for the

building of strong bones and muscles. It is found

mostly in meats, nuts, and eggs.

This is a label for peanut butter, a food high in

protein. Notice one serving of peanut butter has 9

grams of protein.

CholesterolCholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood. If you have

too much, it can clog your arteries. You should look for

foods that are low in cholesterol like this one on the left.

Vitamins & Minerals Vitamins and minerals are found at the bottom of the food label. There are many

different vitamins and minerals that are found in foods and drinks. Common

ones include calcium, vitamin A, B, C, and D, as well as iron.

Take a look at this label and see if you can find out what vitamins

and minerals it contains.

When you’re done, click on the label.

Do you think you have the hang of this now?

This food has what percent of Vitamin C?

A. 21%B. 100%

C. 5%

How about another try?

Find Vitamin C on the label and see what percentage is next to it.

BACK TO THE QUESTION

That’s right!This food contains 21%

of our necessary Vitamin C.

Cheese Crackers

Remember the food label for the cheese crackers from the very

beginning? Now that you know all about food labels, let’s see if these are

healthy or not.

These cheese crackers have a fair amount of fats and sodium and not a

lot of vitamins and minerals. This snack should probably be eaten in

moderation.

More LabelsNow let’s look at some more labels and see if these food are healthy

choices or not, for each choice click on the corresponding smiley face.

Unhealthy Healthy

Healthy or Not?Click on your answer.

UNHEALTHY!

That label was for a McDonald’s Big Mac sandwich which has a lot of fat and sodium, even though it has 30% of

calcium.

It’s actually not healthy.

That was a label for a McDonald’s Big Mac sandwich which has lots of fat and

sodium, even though it has 30% of calcium.

Healthy or Not?Click on your answer.

HEALTHY!Good job! This label was for a can of

green beans. It has a low level of total fat, a low level of sodium, and a good

amount of vitamins and minerals.

It’s actually healthy!It’s a can of green beans, which has low fat, low sodium, and a good amount of

vitamins and minerals.

Almost Done!Just remember: When looking at

food labels, look for foods with low

levels of fat, sugar, sodium, and

cholesterol and have lots of fiber,

vitamins, and minerals.

Thank you! Remember to check those nutrition facts

so you can STAY HEALTHY!

http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/body/foodsmarts/article4.html

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