Understanding food nutrition labels is crucial for making informed dietary choices. These labels provide vital information about the nutritional content of packaged foods, helping consumers assess their nutritional value.

Pay attention to details like

1. Serving size;

2. Daily calorie intake (usually based on a 2,000 calorie diet)

3. Macronutrients (carbohydrates, saturated fat, and proteins)

4. Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).

t's important to also be aware of ingredient lists, checking for additives, preservatives, and allergens.

Comparing labels enables the selection of healthier options and managing specific dietary needs. By decoding food labels, individuals can promote a balanced diet, make healthier choices, and contribute to overall well-being. Stay informed and empowered by unlocking the power of nutrition labels.

How To Read The Nutrition Facts Label

Most packaged foods and beverages require nutritional labels. On this Nutrition Fact label, you can find the total quantity and the single serving volume on the food or beverage package. Single Serving sizes are a measurement based on the number of food most individuals eat at a given meal and do not provide a recommended amount through nutrition facts labels . All the food manufacturers now should have updated nutrition facts label

Learn how to serve portions. The remaining labels are normally based on one serving (see Food Label A).

Understanding Percent Daily Value (% DV)

The percentage d daily value (%DV) indicates the total daily calorie intake. The average person should have around 2,000 total calories per day to manage their weight, however, individual needs can vary according to their lifestyle habits as well. 

If one consumes fewer calories versus two servings, the percentage of calories in each meal will rise a notch above what's listed. Certain foods labeled in the Nutrition Facts label aren’t %DV, but the consumers can still calculate the grams for comparison through nutrition facts . The majority are above recommended levels of saturated fat and oils, salts, and brown sugar.

Nutrient Content Claims

This statement explains the nutritional content of food outside the Nutrition Facts list and was designed as evidence that they have health benefits. One example of this would be vitamin D. Many terms including low sodium "high dietary fiber " and "good source dietary fiber" have strict definitions by the Food and Drug Administration. Several other regulated words include the term “less sugar” and the word lower calorie in comparison to similar foods. This language often confuses consumers in terms of health benefits.

Sell-By, Best-By, And Use-By Dates

These dates found in foods tell both sellers and consumers about product shelf-life and optimal quality. The food manufacturers determines their peak quality. It is safe to eat foods with the exact amount varying depending on the food item, but its taste may begin to diminish. 

These expiry dates are not required in state legislation although some states might have specific laws pertaining. How does this date affect a product’s shelf life?

How Do Consumers Respond To Warning Food Labels?

Labeling front and back is intended to help customers make better choices about processed foods. Heavy-processed or ultra-processed food often contains unhealthy fats, sodium and added sugars, or excess salts that some studies suggest are addictive. 

Several nations such as Chile, Colombia, Brazil, South Africa, and Argentina require FOP warning labels for packaged foods regarding the presence of high or over-the-counter nutrients. The effectiveness of warning labels was assessed through research conducted to increase consumers' willingness to purchase healthier foods.

How To Read Food Labels And What They Mean

Food labels are meant to help consumers make better or more informed food choices when they are buying food or drinks from the grocery store. Its purpose is to help consumers compare and choose foods between products, check the ingredients a product contains, and select products with nutrients that the consumer is interested in eating. 

The nutrition facts table contains three pieces of information: per serving size, total calories, and daily value (%DV). Serving size is the quantity used to calculate the numbers in the nutrition facts table, it is usually a smaller portion than what an individual can and will consume in one sitting. 

This is one of the major issues associated with increased calorie consumption. By checking a product's serving size, individuals can understand how much a nutrient they are eating, compare low calorie and nutrients between two similar packaged food products, and compare it to the amount they eat (Canada’s Food Guide, 2020). 

Understanding Calories and Percent Daily Value: Making Informed Choices for Optimal Nutrition

Calories are the amount of energy in food;  one of the major issues with processed and ultra-processed foods is that they are calorie-rich yet nutrient-poor. Nutrients that provide calories are carbohydrates, saturated fats, trans fat, and protein (Canada’s Food Guide, 2020). The percent daily value shows if the per serving size has a little or a lot of a nutrient. As a standard rule, 5% DV or less is a little, and 15% DV or more is a lot (Canada’s Food Guide, 2020). 

The percent daily value for low fat, saturated fat and trans fat , sodium, carbohydrate, dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron are required by law to be listed on the nutrition facts table. According to an individual’s personal adverse health effects needs, individuals can compare and choose foods products that have high nutrient per serving content in dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin d calcium, or calcium. 

Individuals can also pay attention to nutrient per serving such as too much added sugars and too much saturated fat and trans fat daily values and consume less. 

Unveiling The Limitations Of Food Labels

Although it is supposed to simplify making healthy diet choices for the consumer, it is not able to fulfill its purpose in its entirety. The International Food Information Council Foundation surveyed food labeling, and the survey includes responses from over 1000  consumers in the United States aged 18-80 that purchase more foods for their household. 

The survey concludes that although consumers usually read food packaging labels they still have a hard time identifying healthy food options. The nutrition facts table (69%) and the ingredient list (67%) are the two places where most consumers look for information about food healthfulness (Food Labelling Survey, 2019).

Simplifying Serving Sizes And Ingredient Lists For Informed Choices

These two pieces of information could be made simpler to understand for consumers with some changes. For instance, the serving size for similar products should be equal so it is easier for consumers to compare between two options. Besides this, the per serving size should reflect a quantity that an average individual would consume in one sitting. 

This can help the consumer decide if the percent daily values are too high or low for different nutrients. The ingredients list can be made easier to read by separating ingredients with bullets, using uppercase and lowercase letters when listing ingredients, and making the text black with a white background. 

The ingredient list should also specify the types of total sugars used in a product so consumers can specify all sources of sugar in a product. The government of Canada states that the changes listed above will be implemented by December 2022 to help consumers make informed decisions. 

Influential Nutrient Content Claim: Decoding The Impact On Consumer Choices

According to the survey, after the nutrition label and ingredients list, consumers are influenced by the nutrient content claim on the entire package. Nutrition content claims indicate the amount of a nutrient per serving in a food contributes and are optional to include in products (Canada’s Food Guide, 2020). 

The keywords that nutrient content claim use include, “source of,” “high or good source of,” or “very high or excellent source of” a particular ingredient such as dietary fiber, calcium, or iron. Nutrient content claim also use words like “free of”, “low”, or “reduced” to help choose foods nutrients individuals should consume less of such as total trans fats, saturated fat, total fat and sodium. 

Consumers need to realize that these claims usually highlight one nutrient, so consumers need to look at the nutrition facts table to make an overall informed decision. 

Mastering Grocery Shopping: Essential Tips to Avoid Deceptive Practices and Make Informed Choices

There are some rules of thumb for the consumer to follow to avoid being misled when going to the grocery store. First, do not purchase a product solely based on a health claim listed at the front of the product. Second, look for products that list whole foods as the first three ingredients and be wary of long ingredient lists (Bjarnadottir, 2020). 

Third, be aware that per serving sizes are often in unrealistic small quantities; the consumer should double or triple the size to make conclusions about the important nutrients people typically eat in one sitting. Fourth, sugar is listed by countless different names, so consumers should be aware of these names to realize how much table sugar a product contains. 

Types Of Added Sugar In Ingredients 

The types of added total sugars in an ingredient list include barley malt, molasses, cane juice crystals, lactose, high fructose corn syrup sweetener, crystalline fructose, dextran, malt powder, ethyl maltol, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, galactose, lower blood glucose, disaccharides, maltodextrin, and maltose Sodium and too much added total sugars are also used as an ingredient. (Bjarnadottir, 2020). 

Unlocking Healthier Food Choices: The Power of Accurate Food Label Reading and Peqish's Nutritious Offerings

If consumers can accurately read and understand a food label they can make healthier  choices for themselves. The nutrition label provides an accurate breakdown of nutrients. Nutrition label can help confirm or refute marketing claims, help people manage heart health problems and cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure issue, and make better and informed food decisions regarding their choices (Bjarnadottir, 2020). 

Peqish values transparency and makes its food with simple and clean ingredients for the consumer.  Their goal is to make it easy and affordable for consumers to enable themselves to eat healthy. Peqish eliminates hurdles for the consumer by creating other foods option for consumers that are made with nutritious ingredients that are rich in vitamins and minerals, good saturated fat , trans fat , and naturally occurring sugars. 

Consumers can trust Peqish because all of their food package are backed by science and made in collaboration with clinical and scientific experts who have years of knowledge to ensure the best possible nutrition for consumers.  Peqish provides consumers with great-tasting food that will benefit their health. 

Conclusion

Understanding food nutrition labels is crucial for making informed dietary decisions that promote optimal nutrition. By focusing on key details such as single per serving size, total 2,000 calories a day, macronutrients, and micronutrients, consumers can assess the nutritional value of food contributes and beverage packaging and select healthier options. 

It is important to be mindful of ingredient lists, additives, preservatives, and allergens when comparing labels. Decoding food and beverage packaging and nutrition  information empowers individuals to maintain a balanced diet and food and beverage product, food and beverage packaging product contributes to overall well-being.

Citations

Bjarnadottir, A. (2020, August 19). How to Read Food Labels Without Being Tricked. Retrieved May 03, 

2021, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-read-food-labels

Canada’s Food Guide. (2020, October 14). Use Food Labels. Retrieved May 03, 2021, from https://food-

guide.canada.ca/en/healthy-eating-recommendations/using-food-labels/

Food Labelling Survey. (2019, January). International Food Information Council Foundation. Retrieved 

May 03, 2021, from https://foodinsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IFIC-FDN-AHA-Report.pdf