Most people just don’t pay attention to what they eat. They choose food solely on the basis of taste (or worse, packaging). While everyone agrees that food should taste good, there is also a need for our food to be nutritious. If you’re not used to evaluating your food choices, grab a package of your favorite food with a nutrition label and let’s get started!
When evaluating a Nutrition Facts label, pay attention first to the serving size. A particular food item, such as ice cream, may only have 150 calories per serving, but if the serving size is ½ cup and you eat an entire cup, you will have consumed 300 calories. Just paying attention to this section of the food label can help you drastically reduce your caloric intake and help you lose unwanted pounds.
Keep in mind, however, that just because a food is high in calories per serving, it doesn’t mean you should never eat it. Just reserve those treats for occasional use, making sure eating them doesn’t add up to more calories than you burn that day.
Furthermore, all foods can be broken down into three components called macronutrients. These macronutrients are proteins, fats and carbohydrates. There are healthy and not-so-healthy types of each of these macronutrients, and they are all listed on food labels. (Micronutrients, commonly referred to as vitamins and minerals, won’t be discussed here, but they can also be found on food labels.)
Next, pay attention to the fat content of a particular food. You will likely see listings for total, saturated, and trans fats. Although you don’t need to stay away from fat completely (we need some fat in our diets to survive), avoid saturated and trans fats as much as possible. Saturated and trans fats increase your risk of developing conditions like diabetes and heart disease. The best fats will be listed as polyunsaturated and monosaturated on food labels. Try to get your daily fat intake from nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils instead of butter, high-fat meats, and processed snack foods.
When it comes to carbs, think whole grains instead of processed or refined ones. On food labels, you’ll see the total amount of carbohydrates listed with the amount of dietary fiber below it. Foods that are more processed or refined will have less fiber. White bread and pasta, as well as cookies, cakes, and sweets, will be high in processed carbohydrates and low in fiber. Look for items that contain 100% whole grains when shopping for crackers, bread, and pasta to reduce your chance of developing diseases like diabetes, colon cancer, and high cholesterol.
Also, be careful how many calories you drink. Sodas, sports drinks, and alcohol contain carbohydrate calories without the benefit of fiber for the most part. These drinks are often loaded with refined sugar. Stick with water and milk, or 100% juice in limited amounts, no more than 1 glass per day.
Some meats and most fruits and vegetables do not have Nutrition Facts labels. However, a good reference book or website will list macronutrient values for almost every fruit or vegetable imaginable. Every day, you need three to nine grams of protein for every ten pounds of body weight. Most Americans eat more than enough to meet this requirement. Make sure your protein intake is in balance with what your body requires.
For foods that don’t come with a Nutrition Facts label, a quick Internet search will help you find the calorie content of foods from many different restaurants. With this information, you can still eat at your favorite places without overindulging in too many calories.
The key to good health is information. The more you know, the easier it will be to stay healthy and fit. Learn about your favorite foods so you can make good food choices that will improve your overall health.
By Dr. Jennifer Wetmore copyright 2006