Reading three levels might seem exhausting at first. You will think that this is really hard, but once you understand the real ingredients to look for then the job becomes easier. There is a reason that food labels are given behind the packaging. Because it tells you the real ingredients and nutrients involved within the processing and making of the food.
Once you understand how to read the food labels then managing your weight and avoiding certain health mistakes becomes easier.
Check Serving Size
The first thing you need to look for in the packaging of food is its serving size. Normally it is given at the top of the label. I told you three things such as.
1. The total amount of the food for example, if it is 30 g or one cup
2. The information that is present on the packaging is on the basis of single serving not the whole food item.
3. For those who need to eat more than one serving should apply the multiplication method of the ingredients.
Calories
Next on the label is the calories. You need to look for the first serving calories within the label.
1. It tells you the total amount of energy that you were going to get from a single serving of the food.
2. To maintain your weight, you need to cut down the calories and look for foods that offer more nutrients.
3. High calorie foods need caution because they can mess up your weight such as sweet snacks and chips.
Macronutrients
Examining the macro nutrients on the packaging can be a little complicated because it has certain categories such as
● Fats
● Protein
● Carbohydrates
Fats
1. Sometimes trans fats, saturated fat are included in the total fat.
2. You should take limited amount of saturated fats as well as trans fats because they can harm the heart
3. You should only choose food which have healthy fats such as nuts seeds, and olive oil
Protein
1. The best food for your muscles and heart is protein.
2. You should choose at least 8 to 10 g of protein and then eat that food
Carbohydrates
1. This category has total carbs, sugar as well as fibre
2. Choose a food which has at least 3 g per serving of fibre
3. Do not eat the food which have high sugar, especially if there is 10 g per serving
Sodium
Oftentimes sodium is present in high quantities in the processed or packaged foods. All this to keep in mind that too much sodium can spike the blood pressure. You should say take almost 2300 MG of sodium per day. That’s why for the foods which have 140 g of sodium in it.
Percent of Daily Value (%DV)
This category shows the total amount of nutrients that are required for a day to your body. The total value tells you how much calorie needs are required for your body. You should always opt for a certain percentage. Such as 5 to 10% is taken as low however. 20 or more is taken as the higher.
This percentage helps you choose the foods which have more potassium calcium and proteins as well as as fibres however do not opt for the ones which have high saturated fats.