Nutrition information on food labels

What is new? What does it mean? How do you use it? #1

Nutrition information on food labels #2

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What food products have Nutrition Facts? Almost all prepackaged foods have Nutrition Facts some exceptions: fresh fruit and vegetables raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood foods prepared or processed at the store bakery items, sausage, salads foods that contain very few nutrients coffee beans, tea leaves, spices alcoholic beverages #4

Use Nutrition Facts to make informed food choices to help you choose foods that meet your needs to easily compare similar foods to look for foods with more or less of a specific nutrient to select foods for special diets #5

Serving size the specific amount of food listed under the “Nutrition Facts” title all nutrient information is based on this amount of food listed in common measures you use at home #6

Nutrition Facts are based on a specific amount of food Compare this to the amount you eat and Canada’s Food Guide Example: Breakfast Cereal Food Label bran cereal with raisins 1 cup (59 g) Food Guide 30 g At home 1 ½ cups bran cereal with raisins #7

% Daily Value can make it easier to compare foods helps you see if a food has a lot or a little of a nutrient provides a context to the actual amount of a nutrient #8

Use % Daily Value to see if a food has a lot or a little of a nutrient The actual numbers can be confusing, for example: 2 mg of iron seems small but it is 15 % of the Daily Value for iron 110 mg of sodium seems large but it is only 5 % of the Daily Value for sodium % Daily Value makes it easy to see if there is a lot or a little of a nutrient without having to do any math. #9

Use Nutrition Facts to make informed food choices Increasing or decreasing a specific nutrient... Choosing between two similar products... #10

List of ingredients all of the ingredients for a food are listed by weight, from the most to the least (the ingredient that is in the largest amount is listed first) is present on prepackaged foods is a source of allergy information is a source of certain nutrient information #11

Nutrition claims They are: regulated statements made when a food meets certain criteria optional, so may be found only on some food products often on the front of food packages a quick and easy way to get information about a food #12

Nutrition claims When you want to decrease the amount of certain nutrients... Free none or hardly any of this nutrient an example is “sodium free” Low a small amount an example is “low fat” Reduced at least 25% less of the nutrient than a similar product an example is “reduced in Calories” Light can be used on foods that are reduced in fat or reduced in Calories #13

Nutrition claims When you want to increase the amount of certain nutrients... Source contains a useful amount of the nutrient an example is “source of fibre” High or good source contains a high amount of the nutrient an example is “high in vitamin C” Very high or excellent source contains a very high amount of the nutrient an example is “excellent source of calcium” #14

Nutrition claims “A healthy diet low in saturated and trans fats may reduce the risk of heart disease. (Naming the food) is free of saturated and trans fats.” #15

Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating #16

Nutrition labelling: a tool to support healthy eating Food Guide Message Enjoy a variety of foods from each group every day Label Information check your grocery cart to ensure foods from all the food groups are included – with and without labels Choose lower fat foods more often Nutrition Facts - % DV Nutrition claims such as “lower in fat” #17

Nutrition labelling: a tool to support healthy eating Food Guide Message Choose whole grains and enriched products more often Label Information List of ingredients Nutrition Facts Nutrition claims Choose dark green or orange vegetables and orange fruit more often List of ingredients Nutrition Facts #18

Nutrition labelling: a tool to support healthy eating Food Guide Message Choose lower fat milk products more often Label Information Nutrition claims Nutrition Facts List of ingredients Choose leaner meats, poultry and fish, as well as dried peas, beans and lentils more often Nutrition claims Nutrition Facts List of ingredients #19

A healthy you! Enjoy eating well, being active and feeling good about yourself. #20