1. A closer look at the food we eat
Food Labels
A closer look at the food we eat

2. What is a food label?
A panel of nutrition information required on all processed foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Required by law to include the following elements:
Name of the food
Net weight or volume
Name and address or manufacturer, distributor, or packager
Ingredients
Nutrient content

3. The different parts of a label
Nutrition facts-the title of the information panel.
Serving size-the listing of the amount of food that is considered a serving.
The serving size may be smaller than the amount you actually consume
The serving size listings on food labels are now uniform for similar products. These are determined by the FDA.

4. The different parts of a label
Servings per container-the listing of the number of servings in the container or package.
The number can be deceiving
You have to multiply the calories and nutrients by the number of servings per container to determine the total for the package
Calories listing-the listing of the number of calories in one serving of the food

5. The different parts of a label
Calories from fat-the listing of the number of calories from fat in one serving of food
Percent daily value-the portion of the daily amount of a nutrient provided by one serving of the food
Your goal is to have the foods you eat each day to add up to 100%.
Based on dietary goals recommended for most adult and children over age 4.

6. What is not required to have a food label?
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Food served in restaurants
Fresh meats
Foods in very small packages
Foods sold by vendors
Bakery and deli products
Coffee or tea

7. Decoding Food Labels Other information can be found on food labels.
Some of this information can be found on the nutrition facts panel or elsewhere on the package
This information can include a listing of ingredients, food additives, and other important facts

8. Decoding Food Labels Ingredients listing Check the dates
Needed by almost all foods
Ingredients are what make up the particular food.
Listed by weight, with the most abundant ingredient listed first
Check the dates
“Sell By”-last date by which the product should be sold (it can be stored past this date)
“Best If Used By”-the date by which the product should be used to ensure quality
“Expiration Date”-the date after which the product should not be used.

9. Decoding Food Labels
Low fat-must have 3 grams of fat or less per serving
Lean-must have less than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and no more than 95 mg of cholesterol per serving
Light-must have one-third the calories or no more than half the fat or sodium of the regular version

10. Decoding Food Labels
________ free-must adhere to the guideline that the product has no amount or only a negligible amount of whatever it is claiming.
Fresh-must be raw, unprocessed, contain no preservatives, or never have been frozen or heated

11. Decoding Food Labels
Low calorie-must have 40 calories or less per serving
Reduced-must have 25% less of a nutrient or of calories than the regular product
Good source-one serving contains 10-19% of the daily value for a particular nutrient
Low sodium-must have 140 grams or less per serving

12. Decoding Food Labels
Healthy-must be low in fat, low in saturated fat, and no more than 60 mg of cholesterol per serving
Fat free-must have less than .5 grams of fat per serving
High-must supply at least 20% of the percent daily value of a particular nutrient per serving

13. Decoding Food Labels
Food additives-substances intentionally added to food.
May add texture, nutrients, flavor, or color
They may prevent spoilage or help foods age quickly
May also improve taste and appearance

14. Enriched vs Fortified
Enriched-a food in which nutrients were lost during processing and the nutrients were added back into the food
Fortified-a food in which nutrients not usually found in the food are added.
Ex. Some orange juice products are fortified with calcium

15. Food Label Activity
Objective: Nutritionally compare 2 similar foods using the internet
Directions:
Go to
Search for a category of food-examples would be cereal, chips, pretzels, crackers, etc.
Select a food from your chosen category and copy the nutritional information onto your food label worksheet.
Select another food from the same category and copy the nutritional information onto the other food label.
Compare the two foods nutritionally (similarities and differences).
Turn assignment in to me when you’re finished. If you don’t finish before the end of the period, it will be homework.