Have you ever grabbed an individual snack from the convenience store, ate the whole bag and then realized there were actually 4.5 servings in the tiny package? When reading a food label the first thing we should consider is the serving size. None of the other numbers matter until we have figured out the total number of servings. The focus should be on the number of calories consumed. Why the calories? Well, most of the calories in these processed packaged foods are empty calories meaning they lack nutritional value. The daily values listed on the package are deceiving because daily values vary with age, gender and whether your pregnant. We want to cut down on saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugar so look at these numbers carefully. Remember that your multiplying these numbers by the serving size. For example, if the label says: Total Fat 6 g and there are 4.5 servings, your actually consuming 27 g of fat! It is also important to read the list of ingredients and avoid the items we have previously discussed, such as, HFCS, MSG, aspartame, sucralose and hydrogenated oils. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, average portion sizes have doubled and even tripled in the past 20 years. The average fast food meal nowadays contains a staggering 1,500 calories! With 2,000 calories a day recommended for the average person (depending on gender and age), it is no surprise so many American’s are overweight and obese. Inflated portion sizes are changing what Americans think of as a normal. how to read food labels
Implementation: Now that we know how to read food labels we have the ability to make smarter decisions when choosing the foods we put in your body. Become a food label reader. Watch your portion sizes. When snacking put the amount you plan to eat into a bowl instead of eating right out of the package. Its easy to overeat if you do not measure out your servings. Split an entree with a friend or save half for later. Most restaurants serve more food then one person needs at one meal. how to read food labels
Affirmation: I like eating healthy, it makes me feel better. how to read food labels
