HEALTH TIP #13:

Nutrition food labels

When shopping for food, it’s important that you read the nutrition information on the food labels in order to make informed choices. Learning how to read a label is the first step to knowing what you put in your body. By reading the nutrition labels, you are able to decide whether or not the food that you are about to buy is a healthy choice. Would you buy a car without having all the specific details about the vehicle? Probably not...the same principle should apply to food.

Reading the nutrition facts table and ingredient list are the best ways to determine if a specific food is a good choice based on the nutrient breakdown. It will also help when comparing two products from the same category.

For the next 6 to 8 weeks, we will be covering the basic principles of label reading, such as:

·         Serving size

·         Nutrition claims

·         Fat and cholesterol

·         Sodium

·         Carbohydrate

·         Vitamins and minerals

·         Ingredient list

·         % Daily Value

According to Health Canada, “Nutrition labelling became mandatory for all prepackaged foods on December 12, 2007. This means that all food companies have to include nutrition labelling on their prepackaged foods.”

To get more in-depth information on nutrition label reading, make an appointment with a Registered Dietitian in your region.

Take care of your health…you’re worth it!

www.360healthmanagement.com