Food Labels

How many of you struggle with food labels? Many people think if they are eating a small bag of Rold Gold Pretzels Classic Style Thins 4 oz. bag and it says Calories 110, a lot of people look at that as the entire bag. But if you read the label you will notice at the top of the bag it says;Serving Size 1 oz. about 9 pretzels and
Serving per container equals 4 servings. WOW! So if you eat the entire bag you have just ate 440 calories.

When you look at a label like the one I have attached you will find the calories in a serving size. Which on this bag of pretzels was 110 calories per serving approximately 9 pretzels. You will also find the numbers for fat below the calories. You need to limit the amount of unhealthy fats you have per day. Another very important part to read is the sodium levels. It is recommend not exceed the range of 1,500 and 2,400 milligrams (mg) a day for healthy adults. Look at the Total Carbohydrates next and remember in this total you will also find Sugar. You should not exceed 35 grams of sugar a day. Sugars can be added sugars or naturally occurring sugars too. You night also fined on a label the vitamin content. This helps you understand how much of the nutrients you are consuming. Fiber content is also under Total Carbohydrates and fiber is important aid to keeping your body healthy. Following Total Carbohydrates you will find Protein. Protein is important for helping in weight loss and feeding your muscles.

Usually printed along the right side of the label you will find the daily percentage values for each nutritional fact. Typically, 5 % or less is considered low and 20% or more is high.

Also on a label you will see posted the ingredients; on this label you see the first ingredient is Enriched Flour. First ingredients tells me it's enriched which means they sucked all the ingredients out of that flour. Don't be fooled because it says wheat flour or whole wheat. Once it says enriched you know they have stolen all of the good, healthy stuff from you. If you cannot understand or pronounce the ingredients put it back on the shelf and walk away, scratch that run as fast as you can to another isle.

Here is a challenge for you the next time you go to the grocery store make a point of trying to purchase foods containing only one ingredient. You will have to read the label in order to do this. One is best, but you may find foods with two or three ingredients. Make a list of foods with the fewest amount of ingredients as you can and email it to me.