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Food Labels: The Breakdown What do they really say? As you eat your cereal in the only about 30% of your daily Percent Daily Values calories from fat. Footnote morning, you notice it on the This shows the maximum side of the box - that rectangle Percent Daily Values amounts of total fat, saturated These percentages tell you how fat, cholesterol and sodium, as with the jumble of words, one serving of food fits well target amounts for total numbers, and percentages. It’s nutritionally into a daily diet of carbohydrates and fiber, that 2,000 calories. should be consumed each day. the Nutrition Facts label, and it This is based on a suggested breaks down what’s inside the Nutrient List and Amounts diet of 2,000 calories. Keep in Food companies must list – at a mind that calorie amounts vary box — everything from calories minimum – the amount of fats, for each individual. to cholesterol. Reading this cholesterol, sodium, total Food labels are a crucial part of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, label can be a little confusing, designing healthy eating habits. sugars, protein, vitamins A and They allow you to make but by breaking it down, you’ll C, calcium and iron that are informed choices about the contained in one serving of the have a clear understanding of foods you eat and compare product. Some labels also foods. A good diet, in the value the information display trans fat. These combination with exercise, can nutrients listed were chosen provides in helping you help your body stay healthy and because they relate to current disease-free. maintain a healthy diet. health concerns such as coronary artery disease, Serving Size diabetes, high blood pressure, A serving size is based on the and obesity. Your goal should amount of food people typically be to consume no more than eat. It is important to pay 100 percent of the daily value attention to the serving size for fat, cholesterol, and sodium, because the item you’re eating and at least 100 percent of the may contain several servings. daily values for vitamins A and This means if you eat a bag of C, iron and calcium. chips that contains three servings, you’ve eaten three times the calories, fat, etc. Did you know...?

Calories/Calories from Fat Although most nutrients are measured in grams (g), some (such as This number indicates the sodium and cholesterol) are measured in milligrams (mg). There are amount of calories, and calories 1,000 milligrams in a gram. which are derived from fat, contained in one serving of food. You should aim for getting This brochure is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. For further information, please consult a medical professional. Photography © 2000-2004 Getty Images, Inc. All rights reserved. Content © 2007-2008 Zywave, Inc. Content © 2007-2008 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.