Reading Between the Labels: A No-Nonsense Guide to Food Labels

By Hannah

While I have not done an algebra equation since the 10^th grade my stomach still churns in the same way every time I attempt to decode the nutrition facts on my favorite foods. Reading food labels can leave any head spinning with questions about daily caloric intakes and serving sizes (especially knowing that some of them are way off!). But navigating a food label doesn’t have to be as hard as finding a decent guy on a college campus; with this simple guide you will have the power to understand any ingredient that comes your way and make instantly healthier choices in the grocery aisles.

Let’s start at the beginning and work our way down.

Serving Size: Ever wonder why the French are so skinny? They actually pay attention to the word “serving.” Don’t be deceived by products that look like one serving size; there can actually be two or three servings packed in! The facts on the nutrition label are based on one serving; if you are planning on two, plan to double all the info on that sucker.

Calories: Just as our teachers have told us that we are each special and unique, so are our daily caloric needs. No need to go crazy counting calories, but be mindful of the calories from fat compared to the calories in total. A simple trick: Divide the number of total calories by the fat calories and multiply by 100. That will lead you to the percentage of fat in each serving.

% Daily Value: Often these percentages on the side of the food label get ignored when they shouldn’t. The DV is based on 2,000 calorie daily diet, so know what your own diet entails. Stick to the foods that have a lower DV percentage of saturated fats and sodium and pile the food with a higher DV percentage of fiber and protein into the grocery cart.

Total Fat: Fats come with all kinds of motives. Some fats—monounsaturated and polyunsaturated—are the good guys. Saturated fats and trans fat are the criminals responsible for packing on pounds. Stick with the good fats and run away (FAR AWAY) from the bad ones.

Cholesterol: Avoid stressing too much over this one. Aiming for less than 300 mg a day is a good enough measure.

Sodium: Sodium accounts for the salt and grease that cake those potato chips and cheese fries. Experts recommend sticking to less than 800mg of sodium per meal; anything above that amount is basically loaded with salt that your body begs you to do without.

Total Carbohydrates: The word “carbs” is like a swear word to many dieters, but carbs are cool to make up 50% of your daily diet. They are the fuel that amp us up and get us through the day. Just make sure you’re getting the good kind. Healthy carbs, like whole grains and those adored fruits and veggies, are a better pick than the carbs contained in white breads and junk foods.

Dietary Fiber: F stands for fiber, friend and full. Now put it all together. Fiber is a friend that will keep you fuller longer. Go for foods with more than 2g of fiber in each serving.

Sugar: Here is a trap. We tend to focus so much on carbs that we neglect the real enemy: sucrose and high fructose corn syrup. Anything containing more than 10g of sugar is inching closer towards a candy bar rather than a healthy snack (be mindful of this in yogurt and energy bars. These foods are full of sugar that can hurt you more than they help you). If you are confused over whether the sugar in your serving is healthy or not, take a look at the ingredients list below the label. Natural sugars are great for us; it’s those outside imposters (with the weird, hard-to-pronounce names) that don’t deserve a place in our stomach.

Protein: All good. All of the time. The more protein the better.

Vitamin and Minerals: Although these are good to have in a diet, taking a multivitamin will supply you with your daily needs of vitamins and minerals. But hey, a little extra Calcium and Iron never hurt.