20 Nov
Diet, Health, Macronutrients, Micronutrients, Nutrition

Nutrition Facts Labels: What They Mean and How to Read Them

Nutrition facts labels can seem confusing, but having the ability to read them allows individuals to make informed and healthy nutrition choices. This post breaks down the different components of nutrition labels and provides tips on how to choose the most nutritious foods. It also reviews common food label claims and discusses what they really mean.

Understanding the basics of Nutrition Facts Labels

The major components to understand on a nutrition facts label are serving size, servings per container, calories, and % daily value. The FDA sets guidelines that determines the serving size amount on food labels. These include common household measures, reference amounts based on food consumptions surveys, practicality, and clarity. This amount is meant to reflect typical consumption patterns, but it doesn’t necessarily reflect how much you should eat. The information listed on the nutrition label reflects the amount of macro and micronutrients that are in one serving size. The servings per container indicates how many individual servings are in the food package. This can be useful for calculating the nutrition facts of an entire container of food.

The calories reflect the total amount of energy in one serving size. This value is important if you are tracking your calories to lose or gain weight. It can also be helpful when trying to make nutritious choices, if a product is calorically dense it may be high in added sugar or fat and might be best to avoid or enjoy in moderation. The % daily value is the percentage of the recommended daily intake for a specific nutrient that one serving of the product provides. The % daily value is based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet and recommended daily values set by the FDA. If a % daily value is 5% or less, it’s considered to be low in that nutrient. If a % daily value is 20% or more, it’s considered to be high, providing a significant amount of that nutrient for the day. Understanding the % daily value can help people make food choices based on nutrient content, such as if the food is high in fat or sugar, or low in fiber or protein.

Macronutrients

There are 3 macronutrients: fat, protein, and carbohydrates. The body breaks down macronutrients to create energy. There are different types of fats, including unsaturated fat, saturated fat, and trans fats. Unsaturated fats are considered healthy fats and help to promote good heart health. Saturated fats and trans fats are considered unhealthy and contribute to an increased risk of heart disease.

A nutrition facts label will list the saturated and trans fat content, which is helpful for identifying what foods are high in unhealthy fats. It’s recommended to limit saturated fats to 10% of your daily calories and to limit trans fat to less than 1% of your daily calories. Cholesterol content is another requirement for a food label. Cholesterol is a type of lipid and is a waxy, fat-like substance found mainly in animal products. It’s needed for bodily functions, but only in limited amounts, especially for individuals with heart disease.

Protein is a macronutrient that is a key factor in muscle growth and repair. Daily protein recommendations are different for each individual based on their height, weight, health condition, and other factors. This value is helpful to understand if you are trying to maintain a high protein diet and are picking out packaged items such as granola bars and cereal.

Nutrition labels have certain guidelines for listing the carbohydrate content of an item. Total carbohydrates must be shown, as well as dietary fiber, sugar, and added sugar. From these values, an individual could also find out how many starches are in the food as well, even though they are not listed. You would do so by subtracting the sum of the dietary fiber and sugar from the total carbohydrates. This is important for individuals who are managing diseases, such as diabetes. This way they can avoid added sugars and identify foods high in fiber.

Micronutrients

Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that are essential for bodily function. Sodium, potassium, iron, calcium, and vitamin D are the only micronutrients required to be listed by FDA guidelines. Although sodium is technically a micronutrient, it’s listed along with the other macronutrients because of its significant impact on overall health.

Ingredient list

Once you’ve made your way through the macro and micronutrients, you’ll find the ingredients listed towards the bottom. Ingredients are listed in order of quantity, starting with the highest quantity and ending with the lowest. In other words, the first ingredient listed is the largest percentage of the food product. This is important for a number of reasons, one of them is determining if a product is made with mostly whole grains. If a food product is made mostly with whole grains, it will typically be listed as the first or second ingredient. 

The ingredients list is also a great place to check for any added sugars, however it might not be listed in these exact words on a label. “Added sugar” may also be called high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, honey, agave nectar, and fructose. These are just a few examples of ingredients that indicate that there has been sugar added to the food product. The ingredient list is also useful for discovering any allergens. If a product contains one of the 9 major allergens, milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and/or sesame, it must be displayed on the nutrition facts label.

Special Claims and Food Label Terms

Food companies use specific claims and label terms to help sell their products, these claims can be helpful for identifying nutritious foods. Here are a few commonly used claims and what they mean.

  • Calorie free: less than 5 calories
  • Low calories: 40 calories or less
  • Sugar free: less than 0.5 g of sugar
  • No added sugar: no sugar or ingredient that contains sugar was added
  • Fat free: less than 0.5 g of fat
  • Low fat: 3 g of fat or less
  • Cholesterol free: less than 2 mg of cholesterol
  • Low cholesterol: 20 mg or less of cholesterol
  • Sodium free: less than 5 mg of sodium
  • Very low sodium: 35 mg of less of sodium
  • Low sodium 140 mg or less of sodium

These can be great to look for when managing chronic diseases. For example, individuals with diabetes can look for sugar free or no sugar added food products. Or people with high blood pressure can look for products that say sodium free, very low sodium, or low sodium.

Want to learn more about Nutrition Facts Labels?

Being able to read a nutrition facts label is a powerful tool. It can help with disease management, weight loss, portion control, carb counting, and so much more. It gives you the power to make informed decisions that are going to benefit your overall health. It’s important to remember that everyone is different and a calorie or macronutrient intake that works for one individual may not work for another. There are many different factors that contribute to each person’s nutritional needs. If you’d like to learn more about nutrition facts labels and finding a diet that works for you, schedule a consultation today!

 

Jalpa is a registered dietitian and nutritionist with a Master’s degree in Health & Nutrition from Brooklyn College, CUNY in New York. She also holds a Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management through the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, CDR.

 

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13 Nov
Alcohol, Food, Health, Macronutrients, Nutrition

The Role of Nutrition in Diabetes Management

 

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, a time dedicated to bringing attention to those who are affected by the chronic disease. It’s also an opportunity to educate individuals on the importance of nutrition for diabetes management.

What is Diabetes and How is it Managed?

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when either the body doesn’t have the ability to produce insulin or is not able to properly use the insulin that is produced. Insulin is a hormone that is created in the pancreas and helps to regulate blood sugar levels, also known as blood glucose levels. Because of this, individuals with diabetes have higher than normal blood sugar values.

There are two main types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the insulin producing cells in the pancreas are destroyed. Onset of this disease typically occurs in children or young adults. These individuals take insulin on a daily basis to regulate their blood glucose levels. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is resistant to insulin, or doesn’t produce enough insulin. Onset is often linked to poor diet, physical inactivity, and obesity. Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes can be managed with lifestyle changes such as practicing good nutrition and weight loss. It is also managed with medication and sometimes insulin in more severe cases.

Another form of diabetes is gestational diabetes. This condition occurs during pregnancy and typically is resolved at childbirth. Women who develop gestational diabetes do have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and managing stress levels can help to prevent the onset of gestational diabetes during pregnancy.

Nutrition for Diabetes Management

Nutrition plays an important role in regulating blood sugar levels, in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Based on which type you have, the nutrition approach may differ slightly. Both approaches emphasize:

  • Carbohydrate control
  • Incorporating fiber, lean protein, and healthy fats
  • Limiting added sugar, saturated fats, sodium and alcohol intake

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the primary source of glucose in the bloodstream, therefore the more carbohydrates someone eats, the higher their blood sugar. There are three main types of carbohydrates; sugar, starches, and fiber. Foods such as fruit, milk, and table sugar contain sugar. Starches are complex carbohydrates and can be found in pastas, breads, rice, and potatoes. Fiber is an indigestible form of carbohydrate that is found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Because fiber is not digested by the body, it doesn’t directly raise blood sugar levels.

When carbohydrates are eaten by somebody without diabetes, the body breaks them down into glucose, where it is then absorbed by the blood stream. This results in an increase in blood sugar, causing the pancreas to produce insulin. Insulin gives cells in the blood the key to absorb glucose, bringing blood sugar levels back down. As discussed, individuals with type 1 diabetes don’t produce insulin, therefore they take insulin on a daily basis, whether it be through injections, a pump, or other forms. As a result, they must balance their insulin and carbohydrate intake to maintain a blood sugar that is within normal range. This is done through carb counting, a method where people track the amount of carbohydrates they eat to calculate the correct insulin dosage. This method involves understanding what foods contain carbohydrates to be able to properly estimate carbohydrate content in meals.

Individuals with type 2 diabetes produce insulin, but the body either isn’t able to use it properly or there isn’t enough insulin being produced. Carb counting is still an effective nutrition method, as it helps to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, can help your body become more responsive to insulin, and can lower A1c levels. If you want to learn more about what foods contain carbohydrates and how to carb count, schedule a consultation with us!

Fiber

As previously mentioned, fiber is a type of carbohydrate that is not digested by the body. There are two types of fiber, insoluble fiber and soluble fiber. Soluble fiber dissolves in water, forming a gel substance in the gut that can slow the absorption of carbohydrates into the bloodstream, preventing spikes in blood sugar. Soluble fiber is rich in legumes and vegetables, such as lentils, chickpeas, broccoli, and brussels sprouts. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to stool which helps to regulate bowel movements. While it doesn’t directly affect blood sugar levels, it helps to prevent constipation, which is a common symptom of individuals with diabetes. Foods rich in insoluble fiber are whole grains, flax seeds, spinach, and berries.

Protein and Healthy Fats

Adding healthy fats, such as olive oil, avocados, fish, and nuts, into your diet can also help to slow down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. Healthy fats also help to reduce the risk of other chronic diseases, such as heart disease.

Foods to Limit

Certain foods can have a negative impact on blood sugar, whether it be directly or indirectly. Food and drinks that directly spike blood glucose are typically high in added sugar, such as sugary cereals, pastries, cookies, sugary sweetened beverages such as soda and lemonade. Highly processed snacks can also spike blood sugar, including chips, crackers, and granola bars, as well as refined carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta.

Unhealthy Fats

Consuming unhealthy fats can have a negative effect on insulin sensitivity, decreasing the body’s ability to use insulin properly to lower blood sugar levels. Overconsumption of unhealthy fats can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and promote weight gain. Foods typically high in unhealthy, or saturated, fats include fatty cuts of meat, full fat dairy products, butter, fried foods, pastries, and cookies.

Sodium

Individuals with diabetes would benefit from consuming sodium in moderation. Consuming too much salt can cause high blood pressure, or hypertension, which increases your risk for heart disease and kidney damage. This is important because, over time, diabetes can have an effect on kidney function. Limit sodium intake by reducing the consumption of highly processed foods such as canned soups, frozen meals, deli meats, and snack foods such as chips and crackers.

Alcohol

Alcohol, especially when consumed with sugary sodas or other beverages, has a complex effect on blood sugar levels. Drinking alcohol, especially on an empty stomach, leads to spikes and drops in blood sugar. This makes it hard to manage insulin administration for individuals who have type 1 diabetes. Additionally, people who have had diabetes can usually identify when their blood sugar is low from certain symptoms, such as dizziness, shakiness, and confusion. These symptoms can be masked by alcohol intake, making it harder to determine if blood sugar levels are low. Alcohol should be consumed in moderation, and when it is consumed, trying pairing it with food to prevent drops in blood sugar.

Want to Learn More about Nutrition for Diabetes Management?

Proteins and healthy fats play a vital role in managing diabetes. Protein doesn’t have a direct impact on blood sugar levels, therefore it doesn’t cause spikes. And incorporating lean proteins, such as chicken, fish, tofu, and eggs, can help to support improved insulin function. Eating protein also promotes satiety and decreases the risk of overeating, which can help to promote a healthy weight. Combining protein with fiber rich foods, it can slow the digestion of carbohydrates, preventing blood sugar spikes.

Nutrition plays a huge role in the prevention and management of diabetes, regardless of what type it is. Unmanaged or untreated diabetes can lead to long term health complications, such as heart disease, kidney damage, eye damage, and foot problems. You have the power to incorporate good nutrition habits that can have a positive effect on your overall health and wellness. If you want help incorporating good nutrition for diabetes management, schedule a consultation with us!

Jalpa is a registered dietitian and nutritionist with a Master’s degree in Health & Nutrition from Brooklyn College, CUNY in New York. She also holds a Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management through the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, CDR.

 

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Food labeling
08 Sep
Diet, Food, Macronutrients, Micronutrients, Nutrition

Understanding Food Labels: What’s Hiding In Your Food?

Making healthy and informed food choices is essential for maintaining overall well-being. It’s important for us to know what’s in our food. It’s typically labeled on the package, but it can be confusing and hard to read. As the saying goes, “You are what you eat.” Understanding food labels is a crucial step in ensuring you’re nourishing your body with the right nutrients and avoiding hidden additives that may negatively impact your health. Let’s delve into the importance of deciphering food labels and using valuable tips on how to make informed choices to truly know what’s hiding in your food.

Food labeling

The Importance of Food Labels

Food labels are like a window into the contents of packaged foods, providing valuable information about their nutritional composition and ingredients. They empower you to make choices aligned with your dietary preferences and health goals if you know how to read it! By reading and understanding food labels, you can:

  • Control Nutrient Intake: Food labels list essential nutrients such as calories, fats, sugars, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. This information helps you maintain a balanced diet and manage calorie intake.
  • Avoid Allergens: If you have food allergies or sensitivities, labels can help you identify potential allergens and make safe choices.
  • Identify Hidden Ingredients: Labels reveal the presence of hidden ingredients like additives, artificial flavors, and colorings that may impact your health over time.
  • Compare Products: Food Labels allow you to compare different products and choose the one that best aligns with your dietary needs.
  • Make Informed Decisions: By understanding food labels, you can make informed decisions that contribute to your overall health and well-being.

Food labelsDeciphering Food Labels: What to Look For

  • Serving Size: Begin by checking the serving size, as all nutritional information on the label is based on this. A serving size isn’t meant to tell you only to eat that amount. It is there to tell you the amount of food that applies to the nutrition. Be mindful of portion sizes to accurately assess your nutrient intake.
  • Calories and Macronutrients: Pay attention to the calorie count and the amounts of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins per serving. Choose foods that align with your dietary goals.
  • Nutrient Content: Look for key nutrients such as fiber, vitamins (like Vitamin A, C, and D), and minerals (like calcium and iron) that are beneficial for your health.
  • Ingredients List: The ingredients list provides insight into what’s actually in the food. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first few ingredients make up the bulk of the product. Avoid items with lengthy lists of unfamiliar or overly processed ingredients.
  • Additives and Preservatives: Be wary of additives, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives. Some additives may have potential health risks, so opt for products with minimal or no additives.
  • Sodium and Sugar: Excessive sodium and added sugars can contribute to health issues. Choose products with lower sodium and sugar content.
  • Allergens: If you have allergies, carefully read the label for any potential allergens or cross-contamination warnings. Allergens are listed in bold under the ingredient list. 
  • % Daily Value: This percentage helps you understand how a serving of the food contributes to your daily nutrient intake based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Aim for products with higher percentages of essential nutrients.

In general, you want to look for labels that are lower in saturated fat (specifically trans fat), added sugars, and sodium

Food labels

. All of these have been linked to heart disease and chronic obesity when consumed in high amounts. The items that you want more of are fiber, vitamin D, iron, calcium, and potassium. A diet high in fiber helps lower cholesterol, keeps blood glucose level, reduces calorie intake, and promotes a healthy digestive tract.

What’s Hidden? 

There are several common food additives in food today. Research 

has shown that many have detrimental health affects while others can actually be good for you? An example of a good one is Guar gum. It’s added to food to bind or thicken products. Guar gum is high in fiber and can help increase the feeling of fullness, so you intake less calories. An example of a detrimental additive is high fructose corn syrup. It sweetens food, but in high amounts has been linked to obesity and diabetes.

Misleading Food Labels

Marketing can be a powerful tool, especially when it comes to food. However, a good bit of labels that are promoted as “healthy” are just buzz words. Without knowing exactly what they mean, you could be buying a product thinking that it’s organic and healthy, when really it’s the opposite of what you need. Here are some common marketing food labels and what they really mean. 

  • All Natural: there are no artificial ingredients or colors. It does not mean that the animal or product lives/was grown outdoors. 
  • Humanely Raised: common on animal products, but there is no legal definition for it. It can be put on products even in places where animals are raised in confinement systems. 
  • No Hormones or Steroids: It’s actually illegal to use hormones or steroids in all chicken products so whether it has this label or not, you’re getting the same product. 
  • Fresh: this just means that the meant never went below 26 degrees. Which is not always a good thing! 
  • Vegetarian Diet: Marketers can put this on a food label without it being true. There are no legal checks on farms to determine what is fed to the animals. 
  • Cage Free: one of the biggest misleading labels! All chickens raised for meat are cage free. So don’t buy the more expensive package just because it has this label. 

In a world saturated with packaged foods, being a conscious consumer is a powerful way to take control of your health. Learning how to read and interpret food labels empowers you to make informed choices, allowing you to understand exactly what’s hiding in your food. By paying attention to serving sizes, calories, nutrients, ingredients, and certifications, you can make dietary decisions that align with your well-being goals. Remember, the more you know about your food, the better equipped you are to nourish your body and enjoy a healthier, happier life.

 

For guidance on nutrition and what you need to do to manage your health, email Jalpa to set up a consultation!  

 

Jalpa is a registered dietitian and nutritionist with a Master’s degree in Health & Nutrition from Brooklyn College, CUNY in New York. She also holds a Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management through the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, CDR.

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Macronutrients
03 Jul
Diet, Food, Macronutrients, Nutrition, weight loss

The Macros and How To Eat Them to Get the Most Out of It

Macronutrients

You may have heard of “macros” if you’ve looked into any sort of dieting. Counting macros has become very popular these last few years – and for good reason. But it can also be confusing and overwhelming if you don’t understand what macros really are. 

In this blog, I will detail (in an easy way) exactly what macros are and why they are essential. Let’s make it make sense! 

What are macronutrients? 

There are three macronutrients and any food you can think of (any food in the world!) will be in one of these three categories. The three macros are protein, carbohydrates​​, and fats. You have more than likely heard of these. Each macro has an essential role for the body, and you’ll be happy to find out, you need all of them – even carbs! 

What makes a food a certain macronutrient is what it breaks down to in the body. Protein breaks down into tiny chains of amino acids. Carbohydrates break down into glucose molecules, and fats break down into fatty acid molecules. Each of these tiny molecules has different functions in the body. 

Protein and Its Role in the Body

Protein is mainly known for growing muscle and aiding recovery after exercise. But it has so many other important roles in the body, that you should be getting a good amount every day even if you don’t exercise.  

Macronutrient- ProteinProtein transports nutrients throughout the body, regulates fluid balance, and carries enzymes that are essential for bodily functions such as digestion and blood clotting. Important, right?! A huge role protein has is acting as a messenger for hormone function. Protein amino acids tell the body when to uptake sugar into the cell (insulin), and when to build more tissue, including bone (human growth hormone). 

The sources listed below are mainly animal protein, and that is because that is where you will find all the essential amino acids that you have to get through your diet. If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, you can still get the protein you need through plants, you just have to mix and match in order to get all the amino acids needed. 

Protein Sources: 

  • Beef
  • Chicken
  • Turkey
  • Pork
  • Tofu
  • Seafood and Shellfish
  • Eggs 
  • Egg Whites 

Carbohydrates and Their Role as Macronutrient

A carb’s main purpose in the body is to create energy. Your body takes in carbs, breaks them down into glucose molecules, then sends those glucose molecules through the Krebs cycle to create ATP (which is energy). Ever feel sluggish in the afternoon? Try eating some fruit or whole wheat toast for an energy boost instead of drinking caffeine. You’ll be surprised at the energy it can give you. 

The body can take fat or protein and turn it into energy, but it’s hard for the body to do. Carbs are the preferred source of fuel. In addition to creating energy, carbs also help spare protein so it can perform how it needs to. Fiber – a very healthy part of carbohydrates – is important for digestive health, controlling cholesterol levels, and keeping you full. 

Macronutrient - CarbohydratesCarbohydrates often get a bad rap for making people gain weight. But that is only true if they are overconsumed. If you are an athlete or have a very active job such as a nurse or construction worker, carbs will fuel the energy you need to perform well. Focus on high fiber, unprocessed carbs for the best results. 

Carbohydrate Sources: 

  • Bread
  • Pasta
  • Rice
  • Oats
  • Cereal
  • Popcorn 
  • Fruit 
  • Vegetables 
  • Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes 
  • Juice
  • Sugar
  • Most drinks like tea and soda, unless it’s diet 

Fat and Its Role as Macronutrient

Just like carbs, fat sometimes gets a bad rap for causing weight gain. Fat does not make you fat unless you overeat it. Fat is very calorie dense, but it’s not a bad thing as long as you’re aware. Fat is essential for brain health, cell protection, insulating organs, and storing backup energy. Fats also aid protein in hormone health. It’s what makes food taste good. Deep fry anything and it’s automatically going to be more scrumptious. That’s because fat is satiating and pleasing to the tongue. It’s also why it’s so easy to overeat. Anything packaged, processed, or fried is going to be higher in fat than its unprocessed counterpart. Consider using whole food fat sources rather than packaged or deep-fried food items to reap the health benefits fat can offer. 

Fat Sources: 

  • Oil
  • Butter
  • Nuts
  • Nut Butter
  • Seeds
  • Avocado 

Macronutrient - Fat

One of the biggest misconceptions is that peanut butter is a protein source. Just because the label says it has protein in it, does not mean it’s a good protein source. It breaks down in the body as fat- it is a fat source. This is one reason it’s imperative to know what macronutrients are and what foods to eat to get them. Don’t let front labels do the work for you- turn it to the back and look at what the food item is actually made of. All nutrition labels have a protein, carb, and fat count on the back. 

There are some foods that can fit into several of the categories such as dairy. Milk, yogurt, and cheese can have a good amount of all three – protein, carbs, and fat. All food offers different health benefits through the vitamins and minerals it has, so a varied diet should be considered. 

Any diet that completely eliminates one or more macros – like all carbs or all fats – is not a healthy diet. It may allow you to drop some water weight quickly, but it will not aid in overall health or long-term fat loss. 

Now that you know what macronutrients are, it’s time to learn exactly how much you need in order to fuel your body well. For that guidance on nutrition and what you need to do to manage your health, email Jalpa to set up a consultation!  

 

Jalpa is a registered dietitian and nutritionist with a Master’s degree in Health & Nutrition from Brooklyn College, CUNY in New York. She also holds a Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management through the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, CDR.

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