Nutrition Labels

Reading and understanding the nutrition labels of food is key to understanding the food you are eating! Trying to decipher the numbers on the nutrition label can be challenging here is where we recommend starting! Here is our ATP cheat sheet for understanding nutrition labels.
 
Start with the Serving Size

• Look here for both the serving size (the amount people should eat at one time) and the number of servings inside the package.
  
• Compare your portion size (the amount you actually eat) to the serving size listed on the panel. The Nutrition Facts applies to the serving size, so if the serving size is one cup and you eat two cups, you are getting twice the calories, fat and other nutrients than what is listed on the label!
  

Understand the Percent Daily Values as a Guide

• Use percent Daily Values (DV) to help evaluate how a particular food fits into your daily meal plan. Percent DV are for the entire day, not just one meal or snack. Daily Values are average levels of nutrients for a person eating 2,000 calories a day. A food item with a 5 percent DV of fat provides 5 percent of the total fat that a person consuming 2,000 calories a day should eat.
  
• Low is 5 percent or less. Aim low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium.
  
• High is 20 percent or more. Aim high in vitamins, minerals and fiber.
  

Look at the ingredient list

• Foods with more than one ingredient must have an ingredient list on the label. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. Those in the largest amounts are listed first.
  

Limit Additional Sugars

• Check for sugars: Simple carbohydrates, or sugars, occur naturally in foods such as fruit (fructose) and milk (lactose) or come from refined sources such as table sugar (sucrose) or corn syrup.
  
• Added sugars refers to a category that includes a variety of caloric sweeteners, including sugar and many other sweeteners that are classified as sugars. Added sugars do not include non- and low-calorie sweeteners.
  
• Both sugars and additional sugars are unhealthy for you and you should be trying to limit them!
  

Cheat words and their meanings to look for on the labels!

• Low calorie: 40 calories or less per serving.
  
• Low cholesterol: 20 milligrams or less and 2 grams or less of saturated fat per serving.
  
• Reduced: At least 25 percent less of the specified nutrient or calories than the usual product.
  
• Good source of: Provides at least 10 to 19 percent of the Daily Value of a particular vitamin or nutrient per serving.
  
• Excellent source of: Provides at least 20 percent or more of the Daily Value of a particular vitamin or nutrient per serving. 
  
• Calorie free: Less than five calories per serving.
  
• Fat free/sugar free: Less than ½ gram of fat or sugar per serving.
  
• Low sodium: 140 milligrams or less of sodium per serving.
  
• High in: Provides 20 percent or more of the Daily Value of a specified nutrient per serving