1. IS THE FOOD YOU ARE EATING A HEALTHY CHOICE?

2.  PROVIDE NUTRITION FACTS  INGREDIENTS  INFORMATION THAT MAY BE INCLUDED SUCH AS COUNTRY, ORGANIC, OR HEALTH CLAIMS  FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) & DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) ARE AGENCIES IN CHARGE OF FOOD LABELS  FOOD LABELS CAN PROVIDE LIFESAVING INFORMATION

3.  LOOK AT WHOLE LABEL, DON’T FOCUS JUST ON ONE PART  TIPS TO GET BIG PICTURE:

4.  ALL INFORMATION FOR THE REST OF THE LABEL IS BASED ON THIS AMOUNT

5.  WAY TO MEASURE HOW MUCH ENERGY A FOOD PROVIDES TO THE BODY

6.  SHOW AMOUNTS OF NUTRIENTS AN AVERAGE PERSON WILL GET FROM ONE SERVING OF THAT FOOD

7.  AVG. PERSON: 2000 CALORIES/DAY  BASED ON THESE GUIDELINES 60% OF CALORIES—CARBS 30% OF CALORIES—FATS 10% OF CALORIES—PROTEINS  PERCENTAGE AT A GLANCE 5% OR LESS—LOW 10% - 19%--GOOD 20% OR MORE--EXCELLENT

8.  TOTAL FAT  IMPORTANT SOURCE OF ENERGY  KEEP TO LESS THAN 3 GRAMS OF FAT FOR EVERY 100 CALORIES IN SERVING  1 GRAM FAT = 9 CALORIES

9.  NOT ALL FATS ARE THE SAME UNSATURATED FATS-- “GOOD FATS” FOUND IN VEGETABLE OILS, NUTS, AND FISH SATURATED AND TRANS FATS– “BAD” THESE FATS RAISE YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVELS. SOLID AT ROOM TEMPERATURE—PICTURE THEM CLOGGING YOUR ARTERIES SATURATED: < 10% TRANS: < 1%

10.  LIVER PRODUCES MOST OF WHAT WE NEED

11.  ADDS FLAVOR AND HELPS PRESERVE FOODS  TOO MUCH CAN INCREASE WATER RETENTION AND BLOOD PRESSURE

12.  COVERS ALL CARBS, INCLUDING FIBER & SUGAR  1 GRAM = 4 CALORIES  BE CAREFUL OF “EMPTY CALORIES” FROM SODA AND SNACK FOODS

13.  HAS NO CALORIES AND HELPS YOU FEEL FULL  PICK FOODS WITH AT LEAST 3 GRAMS PER SERVING

14.  CAN BE USED BY BODY FOR ENERGY  1 GRAM = 4 CALORIES

15.  LISTS: VITAMIN A, VITAMIN C, CALCIUM, AND IRON  MORE MAY BE LISTED IF THE FOOD OFFERS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT

16.  LISTED IN DESCENDING ORDER BY AMOUNTS IN PRODUCT  CAN BE DECEIVING—ESPECIALLY WITH SUGARS, MAY HAVE MANY SUGARS ALL LISTED SEPARATELY, LOOK FOR WORDS ENDING IN “OSE” TO SPOT SUGARS  LIMIT ASPARTAME(SUGAR SUBSTITUTE) AND OLESTRA (FAT SUBST.)

18.  WHAT IN THIS FOOD MAKES IT HEALTHY? EXCELLENT SOURCE OF CALCIUM

19.  WHAT IN THIS FOOD MAKES IT UNHEALTHY? 1) MORE FAT THAN YOU SHOULD HAVE FOR THE CALORIES 2) HIGH SODIUM 3) NO FIBER

20.  I WOULD LIMIT CONSUMPTION OF THIS FOOD. 1) THE PRODUCT CONTAINS NO FIBER WHICH IS NEEDED BY THE BODY TO HELP WITH DIGESTION. 2) THE PRODUCT IS HIGH IN SODIUM (20% OF DAILY VALUE). OVER CONSUMPTION OF SODIUM CAN RESULT IN WATER RETENTION. 3) PRODUCT IS HIGH IN FAT WHICH COULD CONTRIBUTE TO WEIGHT GAIN OR HEART DISEASE.