Before planning to go outside for purchasing some food stuff, you should know the importance of reading food labels. You should spend five minutes on a food label while purchasing food items. It is important because consumption of particular food may not be safe for you and your family. We bring you some important tips to maximize the benefits of the food labels.
Things to keep in mind when examining food labels:
1. Serving size
Serving size is standardized in measurement, (cups) so you can easily compare similar food items. Amount of calories and nutrients are based on this serving size, so before purchasing any food item first you should go through its serving size.
2. Amount of fat present
Food labels provide separate numbers for trans fat, saturated fat, and monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated and saturated fats are good for your heart but trans fat are harmful. So look for food items that contain zero trans fat. If the ingredients list contains ‘hydrogenated’ word then it means that food does contains trans fat.
3. Restrict excessive intake of sugar
Be careful about amount of sugar present as excessive intake of sugar may cause lots of diseases. Watch for hidden sugar in processed and packed food items like bread, ketchup, butter, etc. Try to go for sugar free products.
4. Be careful about the presence of sodium
To minimize the risk of hypertension, it is so important to limit 1,500 milligrams of sodium intake each day. Try not to choose processed food as it contains sodium in huge amount. Look for sodium-free or salt-free food items.
5. Check out for vitamins
We’ve been reminded all our lives about the importance of vitamins. Each of them has a great benefit. Vitamin E is an important fat-soluble vitamin that should not be overlooked. Vitamin B 12 can help the body to maintain good health. Vitamin C is essential nutrient with disease-fighting antioxidants. So before purchasing any food item checkout what vitamin it contains and in which amount.
6. Proteins
Protein is a part of each body cell. It plays an important role in keeping you alive and healthy so it should be present in sufficient amount in your food items. So always check for the presence of protein.
7. Dietary fiber
Presence of fiber in your food is very important as it manage your body weight. Both soluble and insoluble fibers are important for making your digestive system healthy. Your body need 25 to 40 grams intake of fiber daily to stay healthy. So go for high fiber food.
8. Calcium
Calcium is essential for maintaining the necessary level of bone mass. Our body uses calcium for many important body functions. We lose Calcium through daily processes such as waste, fingernails, sweat and skin. We should consume 400 to 700 milligrams of calcium each day.