Curious Parents Parenting Resources

Food Bites

Learning Your  LABEL LINGO
By Laura Zurita, RD,LDN

We all do it. That is, at least 80 percent of us do, according to a 2006 Associated Press survey. We scan the packages, and pick one. We turn it over and read the Nutrition Facts label. We look at the ingredient listing sometimes, and wonder how a simple box of cereal can have over 15 ingredients listed. Our brow furrows as we read, we make a choice, and throw something in the basket.

If you find labels confusing, here are just a few pointers to sift through the confusing language and help you make wise choices for you and your family. Labels can be broken down into three basic parts: Nutrient Content Claims, Nutrition Facts, and the Ingredient Statement. Many of us start by reading a Nutrient Claim—it may be what attracts us to the food itself, in addition to colorful packaging and graphics.

Nutrient Claims do just that—they “claim” something. Examples are “low fat,” “high in calcium,” or “50 percent less sugar.” The following is a quick summary of what these terms mean legally, since they have to meet government regulated criteria to be used. However, don’t be lulled into thinking that some of the foods with attractive declarations are necessarily better nutritionally than a similar item. For instance, fat free doesn’t necessarily mean it is free or even low in calories or sugar.

• Free: contains no or trivial amounts of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugars or calories.

• Good source: One serving contains 10-19 percent of the Daily Value of vitamins, minerals, protein or fiber.

• High: one serving contains 20 percent or more of the Daily Value of vitamins, minerals, protein or fiber.

• Low: used for fat, saturated fat, calories, sodium and cholesterol, and has different reference values. Low fat means 3 grams or less; low calorie, 40 calories or less.

Nutrition Facts are the bulk of the label and contain the most information. Serving Size is the most important item on a food label. Everything below is based on this number, yet can be the most deceiving. The serving size for ice cream is usually around half a cup, which is barely a small scoop. Who can claim they eat only one serving of their favorite if that is the serving size?

Servings per package is just as important. Many beverages come in 16-20 ounces bottles. Check the servings per package and most will say 2 or 2.5. So unless you are splitting the drink with a friend, you have to double your numbers.

Most of us concentrate on the number of calories, but make sure you number agrees with how many servings you are consuming. And don’t forget about Calories From Fat: if one serving contains 100 calories, and 50 are from fat, that is a high fat food, one you should limit. Many manufacturers reformulated their products to make the label “cleaner” for our reading. Look at the percentage of Daily Values to determine if the food is contributing too much (or too little) of any nutrient to your overall daily allowance.

Total Carbohydrates: Since the low carb diet is all but dead, these are no longer the “bad” guys. Check your serving size. For instance, if the serving size is 30 grams, and the amount of sugar is 15 grams, half the product is sugar. You can also visualize how much added sugar is in a product. Take the grams of sugar, and divide by four, and you have an estimate of how many teaspoons of sugar are in a product. Some spaghetti sauces have 12 grams of sugar per serving, so it is like adding three teaspoons to your plate! Vitamins and Minerals: Good numbers to look at when picking healthy prepared snacks versus fresh fruit or vegetables that don’t carry labels. Try and aim for 20 percent or greater if you are searching for an item to boost your vitamins.

All ingredients must be listed in descending order, and must separately identify food allergens. If some of the ingredients seem scary or unpronounceable, it usually indicates a highly processed food that you may want to limit. Sugar goes by many names: high fructose corn syrup, fructose, and honey to name a few. Watch for too many of these in one product. Also, those products that claim “low in sugar” may have replaced it with artificial sweeteners, so while calories and sugar may be lower, you may not want the added chemically modified ingredients.

Bottom line advice: read labels carefully when you have the time and you’ll be better informed when shopping quickly. Don’t be fooled by the one-liners such as “low fat” or “high calcium” alone—read all the information to make informed, healthy choices for your family.

Laura Zurita is a registered and licensed dietitian, food technologist, and educator. Her passion is communicating information about nutrition and the science of food to all types of audiences. Currently she is a mostly stay-at-home mom in New Jersey.