Being A Good Consumer By Rosalie Cohen 12 th Grade Health

 A Responsible Consumer : - asks questions - is skeptical - seeks expert advice

Shopping  Impulse buying - is a purchase that is not planned and is usually not needed.  Opportunity cost - is something you give up when you decide to do something else.

Grocery Shopping  Farmers’ markets can be good sources for produce  Supermarkets offer convenience and choice. - Expensive and less nutritious - Find ways for the consumer to spend more money

Supermarkets Vs. Consumers  Geography of supermarkets  Smells draw consumers to certain areas  Restaurants or cafes inside  Essential items located in the back  Items are placed at eye level for kids  Produce is displayed in bright light and sprayed with water

Click here to view an abc news report on consumer awareness

Good Supermarket Strategies  Read labels  Walk the perimeter of the store  Compare prices  Look for coupons  Look for expiration dates Coupons.com

How To Read A Food Label  Start at the serving size to see how many servings there are.  Check the total calories per serving  Limit FAT  Look for fiber and vitamins  Check the Daily Values

 If a food claims to be… Calorie free less than 5 calories Sugar free less than.5 grams of sugar

Fat in Foods  Fat Free has less than.5 grams of fat  Low fat has 3 grams or less  Reduced has at least 25% less  Low in saturated has 1 gram of saturated fat or less

Cholesterol  Cholesterol Free – less than 2 mg  Low Cholesterol – 20 or fewer milligrams  Two Types of Cholesterol:  HDL (Good)  LDL (Bad)

Naturally Cholesterol Free Foods  Grain/Rice  Potatoes  Fruits & Vegetables  Fish  Soy/Tofu

Sodium  Sodium Free – Less than 5 mg  Very Low Sodium – Less than 35 mg  Low Sodium – Less than 140 mg

 Sodium helps to regulate the amount of water in the body’s cells  Sodium deficiency can lead to dehydration or exhaustion  Too much sodium can result in high blood pressure

Fiber  High in Fiber – 5g  Good Source of Fiber – more than 2.5g  Types of Fiber:  Soluble  Insoluble

High Fiber Foods  Lentils/Split Peas/Lima beans  Artichokes/Green Peas  Whole grain  Nuts/Seeds  Fresh or Dried Fruit

References  Butler, J. T. Consumer Health: Making Informed Decisions. Burlington: Jones and Bartlett, Print.  lthy/NutritionCenter/HeartSmartShopping/Rea ding-Food-Nutrition- Labels_UCM_300132_Article.jsp lthy/NutritionCenter/HeartSmartShopping/Rea ding-Food-Nutrition- Labels_UCM_300132_Article.jsp  fiber-foods/NU fiber-foods/NU00582  slideshow/cholesterol-free-foods#2 slideshow/cholesterol-free-foods#2