Shop Smart: The Facts About Food Labels

When asked, most people say that they look at the Nutrition Facts Label on food and beverage packages; however most times they will also agree that they don’t know exactly what they are looking for – calories, sodium, fat, sugars, carbohydrates. 

However, the most important thing to look at first and foremost is the serving size. The nutritional information on the label is based on that portion. There may be more than one serving in a package or container – so we need to figure out how many servings we are eating and adjust the number accordingly.

Quick Label Reading:

-Find out which foods are good sources of fiber, calcium, iron, and vitamin C.

-Compare similar foods to find out which ones are lower in fat and calories.

-Search for low-sodium foods.

-Look for foods that are low in saturated fats and free from trans fats.

Decoding the Label Lingo:

The Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) has strict guidelines on how certain food label terms can be used. Let’s break down some of the more common label lingo terms, so you can feel more confident making your choices during your next trip to the supermarket.

Calories

Calorie-Free: Less than 5 calories per serving

Low-Calorie: 40 calories or less per serving

Cholesterol

Cholesterol-Free: Less than 2 mg per serving

Low-Cholesterol: 20 mg or less per serving and 2 g or less of saturated fat per serving

Sodium

Sodium-Free: Less than 5 mg per serving

Very Low Sodium: Less than 35 mg per serving

Low Sodium: 140 mg or less per serving

Reduced Sodium: At least 25% less sodium than the standard food item

Lightly Salted: 50% less sodium than the original product

Sugar

Sugar-Free: Less than 0.5 g per serving

Low-Sugar – Not Defined

Reduced Sugar: At least 25% less sugar than the standard food item

Total Fat

Fat-Free: Less than 0.5 g per serving

Low-Fat: 3 g or less per serving

Elisabeth D’Alto, RD, LDN is an in-store nutritionist at the Eldersburg MARTIN’S Food Markets located at 1320 Londontown Boulevard. For more Healthy Ideas, visit www.martinsfoods.com/healthyideas.