Label Lingo

Healthy You is Growing!3,323 or 55% Staff are engaged on RedBrick Health2,446 or 40% Staff will receive the 1st quarter Healthy You Bonus1,865 or 30% Staff enrolled in the No Excuses Challenge1,000+ 16% Staff are attending wellness webinars like these

Goals for TodayWhat are the key components of a food label?

How do you interpret what they all mean?

How can you actually use the information to make healthier choices?

What are we doing to help improve labeling?

Why Read the Label?Helpful if trying to manage weightFind info on how much saturated fat, cholesterol, fiber and other nutrients of major health concern% Daily Values can help you see how a food fits into your overall daily dietHelpful to compare productsImportant info for those with food allergies

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The Nutrition Facts LabelInforms you what and how many nutrients are in a food, drink, or dietary supplement.Foods exempt from this label include: foods in very small packages foods prepared in the store foods made by small manufacturers

Information That Must Appear on Nutrition Facts LabelTotal caloriesCalories from fatTotal fatSaturated fatCholesterolSodiumTotal carbohydrateDietary fiberSugarsProteinVitamin AVitamin CCalciumIron

Serving SizeServing size tells you the measurement of one serving. All nutrients on the label are based on this amount. Servings per container tells you how many servings are in the package. This package contains 2 cups of macaroni and cheese

CaloriesCalories (and all nutrients) listed are for ONE SERVING.So if you ate the entire packaged, you would eat 500 calories.

% Daily Value% Daily Values are based on amounts of nutrients you should get each day. These tell you what percentage of a nutrient that one serving provides. The mac and cheese label shows that one serving provides 20% of the daily recommended amount of calcium. This means you still need another 80% more calcium for that day.

Daily ValuesPercentages are based on:2,000 calorie diet30% calories from fat10% saturated fat

5% DV or less is Low Limit theseNutrientsGet Enough of theseNutrients20% DV or more is High

No % Daily ValueTrans FatSugarsProtein

Fat, Cholesterol, SodiumTells you total grams of fat, and number of calories from fat.Breaks down saturated and trans fat.Tells you total mg of cholesterol and of sodium.

Total CarbohydratesIncludes fiber, sugar, starchesDoes not currently distinguish between added sugar and natural sugar (like the sugar found in dairy products or in fruit).

Protein

Vitamins and MineralsTells you the percent daily value for these nutrients of concern.Only required to list these fourMay choose to list others (Vitamin D)

The FootnoteTells you that all of the daily values come from a recommended 2,000 calorie meal plan. Some labels also include information based on a 2,500 calorie diet. Your nutritional needs may be higher or lower than what is recommended.

So What Can We Say About Mac n Cheese?good source of calcium moderate amount of calories low in cholesterol

about 1/2 of calories from fat high in sodium low in vitamins no fiber

INGREDIENT ListTells you what is in your food. The ingredients appear in descending order by weight. For this example, sugar is listed first. This means there is more sugar than any other ingredient.

Added SugarAmericans consume about 20 tsp added sugars per dayAHA recommends no more than 9 tsp for man and 6 tsp for womenAdded sugars are sugars and syrups that are added to foods during processing or preparationAdded sugars do not include naturally occurring sugars such as those in milk and fruit

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Got Added Sugar?Brown sugar Corn sweetener Corn syrup Dextrose Fructose Fruit juice concentratesGlucoseHigh fructose corn syrupHoney

*Invert Sugar Lactose Maltose Malt syrup Molasses Raw sugar Sucrose Sugar Syrup

How Can You Tell From Label Whats Added and Whats Naturally Occurring? Food label just lists grams of sugarsConsider the productLook at ingredient listGrams of sugar 4 = tsp of sugar in one serving*

Read the Nutrition Facts Label For Total SugarsPlain YogurtFruit Yogurt

Look at the Ingredient List

Plain Yogurt INGREDIENTS: CULTURED PASTEURIZED GRADE A NONFAT MILK, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, PECTIN, CARRAGEENAN.

Fruit Yogurt

INGREDIENTS: CULTURED GRADE A REDUCED FAT MILK, APPLES, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CINNAMON, NUTMEG, NATURAL FLAVORS, AND PECTIN. CONTAINS ACTIVE YOGURT AND L. ACIDOPHILUS CULTURES

cup15 grams sugar1 tablespoon plus tsp

Sugar AlcoholsA type of reduced-calorie sweetenerIce creams, cookies, puddings, candies and chewing gum that is labeled as "sugar-free" or "no sugar added.Lactitol Maltitol Mannitol Sorbitol Xylitol

Whole GrainsWhole" should appear as the first ingredient, whether whole wheat, oats, rye, or another grain. Look for at least three grams of fiber per servingEach day, shoot for half of your grains to be whole grains7 Grain, Multi-Grain, Wheat may be whole grain, but frequently not.

Trans FatsLabeled under Total FatA processed fat that is added to many packaged foods to increase shelf-life (small amounts occur naturally in meat and dairy products)Found in fried foods like doughnuts, and baked goods including cakes, pie crusts, biscuits, frozen pizza, cookies, crackers, and stick margarines and other spreadsIncrease risk of heart diseaseA product can have up to .5 gram trans fat per serving, but still be labeled 0 grams

Read the Ingredient ListA product can have up to .5 gram trans fat per serving, but still be labeled 0 gramsIf you eat many packaged foods throughout the day, you can eat a high amount of trans fats without realizing itTrans fats are created by taking vegetable oil and adding hydrogen to itIf you read the ingredient list and see partially hydrogenated oil, there are trans fats in the product

Organic100% OrganicOnly organically-produced ingredients and processing aidsSpecific processing methodsSpecific nutritional labeling

Organic95% organically produced ingredientsSpecific processing methodsSpecific nutritional labeling

Made with Organic IngredientsAt least 70% organic ingredientsSpecific ingredients notedSpecific processing methods

Genetically-Modified Organisms (GMOs)Genetically modified foods are made by adding genes from other plants or organisms to increase a plants resistance to insects; slow spoilage; or improve flavor, nutrient content, or other desired qualities.In the United States, most soybeans and corn are grown from seeds that have been modified to resist herbicides, and in the case of corn, to make a natural insecticide.Concerns have been raised about the safety of using genetically modified seeds. There is no proof at this time that the genetically modified foods that are now on the market are harmful to human health or that they would either increase or decrease cancer risk because of the added genes.Because these foods have been around for a fairly short time, the possible long-term health effects are not known. Examples of genetically modified foods approved for sale in the United States include varieties of carrots, corn, tomatoes, and soy. Three states have passed GMO labeling bills, but none are currently in effect.

No Nitrites or Nitrates Added, Nitrate-FreeSodium nitrite and sodium nitrate are manufactured and used as preservatives to keep meat that bright red color and help prevent bacterial growth.Some leafy vegetables (celery) contain naturally-occurring nitrates/nitritesCelery powder/juice frequently added to take the place of manufactured nitrites/nitratesAble to be labeled as aboveBottom line: limit processed meats!

What Else is on a Package Label?

Food AllergensApproximately 2% of adults and about 5% of infants and young children in the U.S. suffer from food allergies.Each year, roughly 30,000 individuals require emergency room treatment and 150 individuals die because of allergic reactions to food.

Top 8 Major Food Allergens MilkProductsShellfishPeanutsEggsFishSoyWheatTree Nuts

Nutrient Content ClaimsNutrient content claims characterize the level of a nutrient in a serving of food. To make this type of claim, a food product must contain a FDA-designated amount of the nutrient per reference amount (or standard serving size).

Excellent source of calcium, Low cholesterol and Less sugar.

Reduced 25% less than originalFree less than .5 gram per servingLow calorie 40 calories or less per serving Light or lite one-third fewer caloriesLowfat 3 grams or less per serving Low sodium no more than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving

NaturalTerm regulated by FDA on food labels, except for meat and poultry (regulated by USDA)Vaguely defined: does not contain synthetic or artificial ingredientsNot verified food companies can decide when to use the term

Any meat labeled with the word natural is required to be minimally processed without adding artificial ingredients, such as flavors, colors and preservatives.

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What Are We Doing to Improve Nutrition Labeling?

*ACS Recommendations for Individual Choices1. Eat a variety of healthful foods, with an emphasis on plant sources. Eat five or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day. Eat other foods from plant sources several times each day. Limit consumption of red meats, especially those high in fat and processed. Choose foods that maintain a healthful weight.Foundation of Nutrition, Part 3 Food LabelRevised 2009 by CHKRC and Network for a Healthy California**Foundation of Nutrition, Part 3 Food LabelRevised 2009 by CHKRC and Network for a Healthy California****Foundation of Nutrition, Part 3 Food LabelRevised 2009 by CHKRC and Network for a Healthy California*Foundation of Nutrition, Part 3 Food LabelRevised 2009 by CHKRC and Network for a Healthy California***