NUTRITION: Identifying Nutritious Food Ms. Mai Lawndale High School

Identifying Nutritious Foods Food labels can help you make good choices if you know how to read and understand them Applying what you know about nutrition when you purchase food is not always easy because there is so much information that must be considered

Food Labeling Imagine a grocery store full of products covered with blank labels and marked with only a price How would you know what you are buying? Fortunately, food products are labeled The labels help give you information about what you are buying

Product Identification The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the labeling of food The FDA requires the following information to be listed on every package 1. Name of product (Beef and Gravy) 2. Style of food (Sliced, Peeled, Ground) 3. Name and Address of Manufacturer 4. Net Weight

Ingredients The FDA requires the ingredients in a product must be listed in order by weight

Nutritional Information Some manufacturers used to voluntarily listed nutritional information such as number of Calories or amounts of carbohydrates, protein, fat, and certain vitamins and minerals to help consumers purchase foods, but it is now mandated

Food Additives When you look at a food label, you may notice some long chemical names Food additives are substances added to improve nutritional value, maintain freshness, or improve the food ’ s appearance Some common food additives are sugar, salt, corn syrup, citric acid, mustard, baking soda, and pepper

Classifying Food Additives Food additives can be classified in the following 5 categories 1. Preservatives – additives that prevent food from spoiling (salt to ham and pickles, and calcium to prevent mold in bread) 2. Enriched Foods – nutrients added to help replace those lost during processing (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, iron added to flour and cereal)

Classifying Food Additives 3. Fortified Foods – vitamins and minerals added to food (vitamin D added to milk) 4. Emulsifiers – substances that makes food smooth (ice cream and peanut butter) 5. Leavening Agents – substances that make breads and cakes rise (baking soda)

Product Dating Dates on foods help consumers determine the freshness of perishable packaged products Freshness Date – last day a product should be used to ensure peak quality Sell Date – last day a product should be sold Expiration Date – foods eaten after this date may no longer be flavorful (aka dangerous to your health)

Labeling Reform In 1990, the FDA and USDA began a major reform to make food labels more accurate and consumer-friendly By 1993, new regulations were in place that were made to “ help consumers select healthier diets ” Labeling now must address 4 areas: serving size, nutrition labeling, descriptive terms, and health claims

Serving Size Nutrition Label Descriptive Terms Health Claims

1. Serving Size Serving size used to be determined by the manufacturer, but it is now determined by the FDA The serving size of a product reflects an estimate of what people eat It must be given in measures common in households in the United States, as well as metric measures

2. Nutrition Labeling The law requires nutrition labeling on all processed foods that are sources of nutrients (separated into 4 categories) 1. Calories – calories in each serving as well as calories from fat in each serving 2. % of Daily Recommended Consumption – total cholesterol, fat, sodium, and carbohydrates recommended based on a 2,000 Calorie-per-day diet

Nutritional Labeling 3. Vitamins and Minerals - % of daily requirements for selected vitamins and minerals 4. Recommended Amounts – a reminder of the daily caloric recommendations for women (2,000 Calories) and for men (2,500 Calories)

3. Descriptive Terms Products are designed to get your attention (brightly colored boxes and designs to grab your eye) “ Fortified! ” and “ No Cholesterol! ” The FDA has identified 9 basic terms that can be used only to indicate specific information about certain nutrients in the product

Descriptive Terms Low (low in fat) High (high in fiber) Free (sugar free) Source of (source of calcium) Reduced (reduced fat) Light (light in sodium) Less (less sugar) More (more flavor) Fresh (fresh, crisp taste)

4. Health Claims Labels can make health claims if the product contains certain nutrients that have been proven to affect health conditions The only health claims presently allow are … Calcium and Osteoporosis Sodium and Hypertension Fat and Heart Disease or Cancer Fiber-Containing Foods and Cancer or Heart Disease

In Conclusion … Reading and understanding the information on food labels is important The FDA and USDA have taken steps to ensure that consumers get the right information When making food choices, nutritional needs must be considered carefully along with cost and convenience