The Foundations of Nutrition: The Nutrition Label Welcome! Presented by: Partner: California Department of Education Nutrition Services Division

The Nutrition Label Objectives  Identify the information found on the Nutrition Label  Use the Nutrition Label to find healthier snack choices  Understand specific, legal definitions of various terms (e.g., lowfat, light, fat-free)  Gain lessons and activities for teaching about the Nutrition Label

What Information is Found on the Nutrition Label?  The Nutrition Facts Panel  Serving Size  Calories  Comparison to a Daily Value  Amounts of Some Nutrients (A, C, Calcium, Iron)  Ingredient List  Nutrient Content Claims  Health Claims

The Nutrition Facts Label

Serving Size and Calories

Information That Must Appear on Nutrition Facts Label  Total calories  Calories from fat  Total fat  Saturated fat  Cholesterol  Sodium  Total carbohydrate  Dietary fiber  Sugars  Protein  Vitamin A  Vitamin C  Calcium  Iron

Daily Values Percentages are based on:  2,000 calorie diet  30% calories from fat  10% saturated fat  <300 mg cholesterol  <2400 mg sodium  at least 60% calories from carbohydrate  grams of fiber

No % Daily Value  Trans Fat  Sugars  Protein

Limit These Nutrients Go slow - the goal is to stay BELOW 100% of the Daily Value for each of these nutrients per day.

Get Enough of These Nutrients Go for These Nutrients – Try to get 100% of the DV for each of these nutrients each day.

Read the Nutrition Facts Label For Total Sugars Plain YogurtFruit Yogurt

Look at the Ingredient List Plain Yogurt INGREDIENTS: CULTURED PASTEURIZED GRADE A NONFAT MILK, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, PECTIN, CARRAGEENAN. Fruit Yogurt INGREDIENTS: CULTURED GRADE A REDUCED FAT MILK, APPLES, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CINNAMON, NUTMEG, NATURAL FLAVORS, AND PECTIN. CONTAINS ACTIVE YOGURT AND L. ACIDOPHILUS CULTURES

Ingredient List  All ingredients must be listed  Ingredients listed in descending order by weight

Nutrient Content Claims  Defined by FDA regulations  Light = 1/3 fewer calories or 50% less fat than traditional product  Low-fat = one serving must contain no more than 3 grams of fat  Low calorie = one serving contains no more than 40 calories

Health Claims  Calcium-rich foods and reduced risk of osteoporosis.  Low-sodium foods and decreased risk of hypertension (high blood pressure).  Low-fat diet and reduced risk of cancer.  A diet high in fiber and low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol and the reduced risk of coronary heart disease.  Folate rich foods and the reduced risk of neural tube birth defects.

More Information about Food Labels-  FDA Web site-

Activity: Finding Fat on Food Labels Please complete the worksheet and then let’s see how well we figure out food labels. Answers: Label A: Yogurt 1. 6 grams; grams; grams Label B: Swiss Cheese 1. 8 grams; grams; grams Label C: Ice cream grams; grams; grams

Research-based Resources Web site -

Acknowledgements Portions of this presentation were adapted from: THE NUTRITION LABEL - THE NUTRITION LABEL - Easy Ways to Use the Label For Healthy Eating PowerPoint, Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements.

Thank You! For more information or assistance, please contact: This program was developed by the California Department of Educations Nutrition Services Division, with funding from The California Endowment. Revisions were completed with funds from the California Department of Public Health, Network for a Healthy California, funded by the United Sates Department of Agricultures Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly the Food Stamp Program). These institutions are equal opportunity providers and employers. In California, food stamps provide assistance to low-income households, and can help buy nutritious foods for better health. For food stamp information, call For important nutrition information visit Partner: California Department of Education, Nutrition Services Division