Nutritional Facts for Dieters

Everyone needs to be aware of how to read and understand food nutritional values.  For those on a weight loss diet it is particularly important to know how to read nutritional labels in order to make the best food choices.  Learn how to read labels and choose foods wisely with these easy tips.

• Calories – Calories are one of the most important considerations for dieters who are trying to lose weight.  Comparison of calories between similar foods can be confusing.  Be sure to review the calories per serving.
• Serving Size – Check to see what the recommended serving size is.  This can be deceiving.  Often pictures on the box show larger portions than are actually recommended.  You may find that the serving size is very small.  For example on a box of cookies the serving size may be only 3 cookies.
• Servings Per Container – This is the actual amount of food in the package based on recommended serving sizes.
• Daily Values – Food sold in the United States must list nutritional facts on the label.  Daily values are listed as percentages based on a 2,000 daily calorie diet.  Be aware that the percentages would need to be adjusted if you are eating fewer than 2,000 calories per day.
• Calories from Fat – Check to see how many of the calories in the food are from fat.  If the calories from fat are high you should probably avoid eating that particular food or reduce the amount of it that you eat.  You want to keep your fat intake low for a healthy diet.
• Fat Breakdown – The label will show the breakdown of fat in the product into saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and total fat.  Check to see how much of the total fat is cholesterol or trans fat.
• Check to see how you eat the product.  For example a box of cereal may show caloric intake based on eating the product dry.  Look to see if there is nutritional information based on the way you eat the product.  In this case if you put milk on your cereal you need to check for the nutritional value with milk included.
• Sodium – Everyone needs to take care to limit his or her sodium intake.  Check the package to find out how much sodium is in each serving.  Salt is often used as a preservative and so it may be surprising to see just how much sodium is in each serving.
• Carbohydrates – Many people on weight loss diets are limiting their carbohydrate intake.  Check the label to see what percentage of the product is made up of carbs.
• Sugar – Those on a diet and others may want to limit their sugar intake.  Many unexpected foods contain sugar.  Check the label to see just how much of the food is made up of sugar and avoid those with high sugar content.
• Compare labels.  You can often do better by simply eating a small amount of foods you like rather than trying to adapt to a diet that you don't care for.  Check the labels to compare which food is the better choice and pick the one that is healthier.