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If you really want to know how nutritious your breakfast cereal or microwaveable dinner is, then check out the food label. But you'd better read carefully, or you could wind up consuming more calories and fat than you think.
"The biggest mistake people make is not looking at the serving size," says nutritionist Robin Vitetta-Miller. "They say, 'Oh wow, this only has 100 calories' and they eat the whole thing, and it turns out to serve four."
The serving size is listed directly under the nutrition facts on the food packaging. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the serving size is the first place to look because it influences all the nutrient amounts listed below it.
Serving sizes are supposed to be based on the amount of food people typically eat. But when looking at the serving size, you should compare that to how much you actually eat. Take Vitetta-Miller's "favorite food," which is a Tootsie Roll bar (not the tiny bite-sized ones). You might not consider sharing that. But inside that wrapper, there are actually two servings.
"Breakfast cereal is another great example," Vitetta-Miller says. "Three-quarters cup or one-half cup is one serving for some brands, yet most bowls holds two cups."
Food labels are broken into two parts: what you should limit (total fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates and protein) and what you should get enough of (vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron).
What's that about the fat?
Consumers often get stumped by labeling data on fat content. Vitetta-Miller says it can get very confusing when trying to figure out the percentage of calories you get from fat. "Don't look at that. It's just confusing to figure out how much fat you're getting overall. Just try to keep your fat grams down. Less than 30 percent of your total calories should come from fat."
Just what is the difference between fat-free, reduced fat and low-fat? According to the FDA:
- Fat-free is less than one-half gram of fat per serving.
- Low-fat is 3 grams of fat or less per serving.
- Reduced fat is 25 percent less of the specific nutrient or calories than the usual product.
- Light is one-third fewer calories or one-half the fat of the usual food.
Even if you do understand the difference, you could fall into the fat-free trap, according to Vitetta-Miller. For one thing, she says, it's a proven fact that people eat more than they should of fat-free foods just because these items are fat-free. For another, a lot of fat-free foods have a lot of added sugar.
"Read the ingredient list," she advises, cautioning against choosing products that substitute sugar for fat. "You don't want a lot of sugar in your diet."
Manufacturers list total fat and the percentage of saturated fats along with trans fatty acids, or trans fats. Trans fats raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels. Eating trans fats increases your risk of developing heart disease and stroke. Experts recommend that you replace saturated and trans fats in your diet with mono- and polyunsaturated fats. These fats do not raise LDL (or "bad") cholesterol levels and have health benefits when eaten in moderation.
"You may need to do detective work and look for hydrogenated oils," Vitetta-Miller says. Hydrogenated oils, which are trans-fatty acids, are often found in margarine, prepared baked goods such as muffins, cakes, pie crusts and microwave popcorn.
One more word of advice as you scan food labels: Your box of fortified cereal may promise 100 percent of the daily vitamins you need, but if you don't drink all the cereal milk, those vitamins could wind up in the bottom of the bowl. The reason? Vitamins are water soluble, Vitetta-Miller says.
What do the claims mean?
Below is a list of some other common claims seen on food packaging and what these claims mean, according to the FDA regulations:
- Calorie-free: fewer than five calories per serving (which is specified on packaging)
- Low sodium: less than 140 mg of salt per serving
- Low calorie: less than 40 calories per serving
- Low cholesterol: less than 20 mg of cholesterol and 2 grams of fat per serving
- Reduced: 25 percent less of the specified nutrient or calories than the usual product
- Good source of: provides at least 10 percent of the daily value of a particular vitamin or nutrient per serving
- High fiber: five or more grams of fiber per serving
- Lean: (meat, poultry, seafood): 10 grams of fat or less, 4and one-half grams of saturated fat and less than 95 mg of cholesterol per 3-and-one-half-ounce serving
- Light: one-third fewer calories or one-half the fat of the usual food
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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