Nutrition information on food labels

Core Unit

Nutrition information on food labels

What is new?

What does it mean?

How do you use it?

#1

Nutrition information on food labels

#2

#3

Notes: What food products have Nutrition Facts?Almost all pre-packaged foods have Nutrition Facts

some exceptions:

• fresh fruit and vegetables

• raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood

• foods prepared or processed at the store

bakery items, sausage, salads

• foods that contain very few nutrients

coffee beans, tea leaves, spices

• alcoholic beverages#4

Notes: Use Nutrition Facts to make informed food choices

• to help you choose foods that meet your needs

• to easily compare similar foods

• to look for foods with more or less of a specific nutrient

• to select foods for special diets

#5

Serving size

• the specific amount of food listed under the “Nutrition Facts” title

• all nutrient information is based on this amount of food

• listed in common measures you use at home

#6

Nutrition Facts are based on a specific amount of food

Compare this to the amount you eat and Canada’s Food Guide

Example: Breakfast Cereal

Food Label bran cereal with raisins1 cup (59 g)

Food Guide30 g

At home1 ½ cups bran cereal with raisins

#7

Notes: % Daily Value

• can make it easier to compare foods

• helps you see if a food has a lot or a little of a nutrient

• provides a context to the actual amount of a nutrient

#8

Use % Daily Value to see if a food has a lot or a little of a nutrient

The actual numbers can be confusing, for example:

• 2 mg of iron seems small but it is 15 % of the Daily Value for iron

• 110 mg of sodium seems large but it is only 5 % of the Daily Value for sodium

% Daily Value makes it easy to see if there is a lot or a little of a

nutrient without having to do any math.

#9

Use Nutrition Facts to make informed food choices

• Increasing or decreasing a specific nutrient...

• Choosing between two similar products...

#10

Notes: List of ingredients

• all of the ingredients for a food are listed by weight, from the most to the least (the ingredient that is in the largest amount is listed first)

• is present on pre-packaged foods

• is a source of allergy information

• is a source of certain nutrient information

#11

Notes: Nutrition claims

They are:

• regulated statements made when a food meets certain criteria

• optional, so may be found only on some food products

• often on the front of food packages

• a quick and easy way to get information about a food

#12

Nutrition claims

When you want to decrease the amount of certain nutrients...

Free• none or hardly any of this nutrient• an example is “sodium free”

Low• a small amount• an example is “low fat”

Reduced• at least 25% less of the nutrient than a similar product• an example is “reduced in Calories”

Light• can be used on foods that are reduced in fat or

reduced in Calories

#13

Nutrition claims

When you want to increase the amount of certain nutrients...

Source• contains a useful amount of the nutrient • an example is “source of fibre”

High or good source

• contains a high amount of the nutrient• an example is “high in vitamin C”

Very high or excellent source

• contains a very high amount of the nutrient• an example is “excellent source of calcium”

#14

Example: Nutrition claims

“A healthy diet low in saturated and trans fats may reduce the risk of heart disease. (Naming the food) is

free of saturated and trans fats.”

#15

Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating

#16

Notes: Nutrition labelling: a tool to support healthy eatingFood Guide Message

-Enjoy a variety of foods from each group every day-Choose leaner meats, poultry and fish, as well as dried peas, beans and lentils more often-Choose whole grains and enriched products more oftenChoose lower fat foods more often-Choose lower fat milk products more often-Choose dark green or orange vegetables and orange fruit more often

Label Information• check your grocery cart

to ensure foods from all the food groups are included – with and without labels

• List of ingredients• Nutrition Facts• Nutrition claims• Nutrition Facts - % DV• Nutrition claims such as

“lower in fat”

#17

A healthy you!

Enjoy eating well, being active and

feeling good about yourself.

#20

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency: – http://

www.inspection.gc.ca/english/reg/rege.shtml – http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/

nutrition-pagee.shtml– http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet/nutri

tion/interactive/index_e.html