Content taught to the students as they scroll over each part of the food label.
The Nutrition Facts food label is a list of important nutrients our bodies need to provide energy and help us grow. Nutrients are ingredients in foods that people need to stay healthy; for example, milk is rich in nutrients including calcium and protein.
The Nutrition Facts label is located on the outside of the package or box of food, such as the side of a cereal box, or the back of a package of pasta. Learning how to use the Nutrition Facts food label will help you become more aware of the nutrients that are in foods and help you make smarter food choices.
Serving size is the amount of food in one serving, such as 1 slice of pizza, ½ cup of juice or 2 cookies. If you eat 4 cookies and the serving size is 2 cookies you are getting double the calories because it equals two servings.
Servings Per Container tells how many servings are in the package or container of food. If there are 8 servings in a pizza and each serving is 1 slice, then there is enough pizza for 8 people. If each person had two slices, there would be enough pizza for 4 people.
This is the number of calories in one serving and the number of calories that come from fat in one serving. Use this part of the Nutrition Facts label to check the amount of calories because if you eat more calories than your body uses, you might gain weight.
The percent daily value is a number on the label given in percentages. These percentages are the amount of a certain nutrient that a person should eat everyday. Here’s an easy way to look at % DV on the Nutrition Facts label and make smart food choices every day:
5% or less is low – try to stay low in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. 20% or more is high – try to stay high in vitamins, minerals and fiber
The total fat is the number of fat grams in one serving. Fats and oils are a part of a healthy diet, however eating too much fat is not good for your body. Try to limit the amount of fat and look for foods that are low in saturated fat and trans fat. Limit the total amount of fat by choosing foods that are 5% or lower of the % Daily Value.
These numbers tell you how much cholesterol and sodium (salt) is in one serving of food. Limit cholesterol and sodium by choosing foods that are 5% or lower of the % Daily Value.
Sugar and dietary fiber are types of carbohydrates. There is not a percent daily value (%DV) for sugar. Use the Nutrition Facts label to compare the amount of grams of sugar in similar products. Try to limit the foods with added sugars which add calories but not other nutrients. Look at the ingredients list for added sugars, also called sucrose, glucose, fructose, or corn syrup.
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains that contain fiber will help reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your digestive tract.
Choose the foods with the higher %DV for iron, calcium and vitamins A and C. These nutrients can improve your health and help reduce the risk of some diseases.
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