Food Labels: Becoming a Healthier Educated Consumer

Transcription

1 Food Labels: Becoming a Healthier Educated Consumer Steven Rudner, BS Nutrition & Dietetics Dietetic Intern, Sodexo Allentown

2 Reading and understanding food labels is important for the health of you and your family: Weight management Macronutrients Micronutrients Fiber % Daily Values Portion Sizes Allergy Alerts

3 History of Food Labeling Food Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938 A food shall be deemed to be misbranded if its labeling is false or misleading in any particular.

4 History of Food Labeling 1973: FDA issues regulations that standardized food labeling forms and required labeling on any foods that add nutrients and/or make nutritional claims.

5 History of Food Labeling: 1990: Nutrition Labeling and Education Act All food products, other than fruits, vegetables, raw fish, and food served in restaurants and cafeterias need labeling. Labels must include: Calories & Calories from Fat Cholesterol Sodium Protein Carbohydrate Vitamin A & C Calcium and Iron

6 History of Food Labeling: Today: Most restaurants are now required to post nutrition label information for consumers in their venues.

7 List of Ingredients Appear in Descending order by weight Reveals everything contained in the product

8 Allergens An allergy alert message will appear at the bottom of a food label to advise people with certain food allergies. The 8 most common food allergies are: Milk products Eggs Peanuts Shellfish Fish Wheat and/or gluten Soy Tree Nuts

9 Nutrition Facts Label Provides consumers a list of what types and quantities of nutrients are in a particular food, drink, or supplement

10 Serving Size Informs consumer about the portion size of one serving. Note: there are often more than one serving size in a food package. To calculate the total number of calories or nutrients you consumed, simply multiply the quantity in a single serving by the number of servings you ate or drank.

11 Calories Units of energy that are derived from Carbohydrates Protein Fat Vitamins and Minerals do not have calories

12 % Daily Value Refers to the percentage of a particular nutrient you receive in a given day by consuming one serving of a food or drink item.

13 Overview of Fat Total Fat Grams of fat in a serving Includes saturated, trans, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats Fats are needed in our diets to Help maintain healthy hair & skin skin Absorb vitamins Insulate and protect our organs Provide energy

14 Types of Fats Monounsaturated Fat Provides protection against inflammation and illness Lowers bad (LDL) cholesterol Elevates good (HDL) cholesterol Includes olive oil, oily fish, nuts, and seeds.

15 Types of Fats Polyunsaturated Fat May lower bad cholesterol Found in oily fish and some vegetable oils Heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids are in this group

16 Types of Fats Saturated Fats Can cause inflammation in the body Found in meats, whole dairy products, and in skin of poultry

17 Types of Fats Trans Fats Recently Banned by FDA Most inflammatory types of fats Found most in commercially baked goods and processed foods

18 Calories from Fat Usually listed on the food label to the right of calories per serving. No more than 30% of your daily caloric intake should come from fat.

19 Cholesterol A fat found in meat and dairy products Cholesterol levels may be controlled by Exercise High fiber diet

20 Sodium The measure of the salt content in food Recommended daily limit: 1 tsp: ~ 2300 milligrams salt/day If you have high blood pressure, you may benefit from limiting intake to 1500 milligrams of salt/day.

21 Total Carbohydrate CHO provides the brain and muscles with needed energy Sources of CHO include Fruits Vegetables Grains (including bread, cereal, rice, quinoa, etc) Beans Pasta Dairy Products

22 Total Carbohydrate Breakdown Dietary Fiber Helps to keep you satisfied between meals Aids in digestion May help to lower cholesterol levels Sugar Try to limit added sugars to less than 10% of all calories consumed

23 Protein - Overview Needed for proper vision fluid balance healing blood clotting immunity hormones transport molecules structural components of muscles and organs Rough calculation for adult protein needs (grams) Protein needs (g) = current weight (kg) x 0.4

24 Protein - Sources Vegetable Sources Peas Beans Legumes Grains (especially quinoa) Soy Animal Sources Dairy Eggs Meat Fish Poultry

25 Vitamins and Minerals The food label reveals the % daily value for Vitamin A* Vitamin C* Iron* Calcium* *The daily values are based on a 2000-calorie diet, but one s nutritional needs are often different than 2000 calories.

26 Evaluating Frozen Food Label Pros? (LIST) Cons? (LIST)

27 New FDA Label FDA wants a more accurate reflection of what people eat and drink.

28 Proposed Changes to Food Labels Clearly defining the number of servings per container and the size of a serving Emphasizing the number of calories per serving size Including information about added sugars Requiring beverages to list quantities of Vitamin D and potassium 90-day public commentary period Expected to be phased in over 2 years

29 Resources

30 THANK YOU!!! Steven Rudner, BS Nutrition & Dietetics Dietetic Intern, Sodexo Allentown Artistic Consultant: Rachel Tenney