1. Reading Food Labels

2. The serving size and amount of servings per container is your real key to knowing how many calories and other nutrients are in the foods you eat.

3. Understanding the amount of Total Fat in the foods is important. Also, keep in mind that unsaturated fats are more healthy than saturated and trans fats.

4. Carbohydrates should be an important source of calories in your diet.

5. Good Carbs: Whole grain breads Whole grain cereals Beans Brown Rice Potatoes pasta Bad Carbs: Avoid foods with added sugar like: corn syrup, dextrose, sucrose, etc.

6. Food labels can also help you find foods that are high in certain vitamins and minerals.

7. Like, fat you should limit the amount of cholesterol and sodium in your diet. Is this food product high or low for both cholesterol and sodium?

8. % Daily Value or %DV shows how much of the daily recommended nutrients are provided. % DV is based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet.

9. Food Calorie The amount of digestively available energy that will raise the temperature of one kilogram of water one degree Celsius. Calories are found in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, etc.

10. Food Calorie Calories are shown on a food label in two different ways: –Total Calories –Calories from fat

11. Food Calorie For every one gram of protein, there are four calories. Which one of these foods has the least calories from protein?

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15. Adapted from files at: http://pediatrics.about.com/od/nutrition/ss/f ood_labels_7.htm http://pediatrics.about.com/od/nutrition/ss/f ood_labels_7.htm Check out your favorite food labels: http://www.dietfacts.com/list.asp?start=D http://www.dietfacts.com/list.asp?start=D