Nutrition labels are an invaluable resource for understanding the nutritional content of food. Knowing what to look for on a nutrition label can help you make informed decisions about what you eat. Here are the three most important things to consider when reading a nutrition label:Serving Size: The serving size that appears in the nutrition information is the amount that is usually consumed at one time. It's essential to pay attention to this number, as it can affect the total amount of carbohydrates, calories, and other nutrients in the food.
Carbohydrates: The total carbohydrates listed on the food label include sugar, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. People with diabetes should consult their healthcare provider about the recommended amount of carbohydrates for each meal. It's also beneficial to compare products from a nutritional point of view by looking at the column per 100 g of the nutrition information table.
Calories:
Calories (kcal) or kilojoules (kJ) are measures of the amount of energy contained in the product.Women need around 2000 calories a day and men around 2500 calories, but this can vary depending on age and activity level. It's important to check the energy content of foods, as some products may have higher calorie counts than others. In addition to these three key elements, it's also essential to pay attention to sugar content, salt content, and ingredients. Unsweetened fruit juice contains natural sugars, but it also has a relatively high energy content due to the juice of several fruits.
Salt content should be 0.3 g or less per 100 g (or 0.1 g of sodium). And when it comes to ingredients, try to stick with foods that have fewer than five ingredients on the nutrition label, preferably one or two, or better yet, none.