nutrition panel
serving size
When reading the Nutrition Information Panel (NIP), pay close attention to the serving size, amount per package, and breakdown of nutrients in the product.
The per 100g column is useful when comparing nutrients between products.
energy
A second consideration in NIP is energy, which is measured in kilojoules (kJ) or calories.
The NDSS reports that the amount of energy each of us needs depends on many factors and varies from person to person.
You should limit your intake of any or junk food.
Carbohydrates aren’t bad for you, but be warned that the term “total carbs” includes both sugar and starch in food (stock image)
thick
If you’re trying to decide which foods are healthy and nutritious, it’s important to check how much fat the product contains.
“Total fat” includes all polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, saturated and trans fats in food. It’s important to consider both the amount and type of fat,” he reports the NDSS.
For total fat, Eat For Health recommends aiming for less than 10g per 100g.
Choose less than 2g of milk or yogurt per 100g, and less than 15g of cheese per 100g.
Saturated fat is the worst type and should be limited to less than 3g per 100g.
carbohydrate
Carbohydrates aren’t bad for you, but you should be careful with the term “total carbs” because it includes both sugars and starches in foods.
The amount of “sugar” indicates how much of the total carbohydrates are made up of sugar.
This includes both added sugars and natural sugars such as lactose in milk and fructose in fruits.
Keep these in check to stay healthy. If you want a quick way to identify how much sugar is in your food, check out the ingredients list.
If sugar, or any word that describes sugar such as stevia, fructose, glucose, syrup, or honey, is listed first, you know you’re in trouble.
sodium
Sodium is one of the most important items to watch in NIP.
Choose low-salt or no-additive products when possible.
Or choose products with less than 120mg per 100g.
Ingredient list
If you want a quick look at what’s in the product, check out the ingredients list. This requires all ingredients to be listed in descending order of weight.
If sugar and fat, or their “other names” are at the top of the list, packaged foods may not be good for you.
As a general rule of thumb, choose products with whole natural ingredients, and choose foods that are packaged in small lists.
claim
Food manufacturers often use nutrition claims on their packaging to attract the attention of shoppers.
The highlighting may be correct, but it can also be misleading. Therefore, it is helpful to know what nutrition claims mean.
reduced salt
A label that says “reduced salt” might make you reach for a product and put it in your shopping cart, but don’t be so hasty without consulting the label.
Reduced salt simply means that the product contains at least 25% less salt than a regular product.
However, even the reduced-salt version can be high in sodium.
light or light
You might see these words and think they refer to a reduction in fat content.
But it can also be used to describe the taste, texture, or color of food.
Light olive oil, for example, is lighter in color and taste, but not lower in fat.
When you see the word light or light, you might think it refers to a reduction in fat content, but it can also be used to describe the taste, texture, or color of food (stock image)
no added sugar
This means that the product does not contain sugars such as sucrose, honey or glucose.
However, products may contain natural sugars such as milk (lactose), fruit (fructose) and other carbohydrates, all of which can affect blood sugar levels.
fat reduction
Similar to the reduced-salt label, the reduced-fat tag means the product contains at least 25% less fat than a regular product.
But that doesn’t mean it’s fat free.
Health star rating system
Finally, the Health Star Rating System is designed to help you make healthier food choices at a glance.
Packaged food ratings range from half to five stars.
Ratings are calculated according to components that increase the risk of obesity and contribute to other chronic diseases. The more stars, the healthier the product.
.
