The Label Low Down

Take your health into your own hands by reading labels and being informed! Click here for a quick guide to help you navigate food labels.

Here is some important information you should know.

Serving Size
At the top of each food label is a serving size amount, start here! All of the nutrition information given on the food label is based on this serving size. So if a serving size is ½ cup and you eat 1 cup — which would be two servings — you need to double all of the nutrition information.
The number of servings per container tells you how many serving sizes are in the whole package

Calories
This number tells you the amount of energy you get in a serving of that food. It’s important to know how many calories you consume each day to help manage a healthy weight

Protein
Most of the body — including your muscles and skin is made up of protein, making it an essential nutrient

Cholesterol and Sodium
These numbers tell you how much cholesterol and sodium (salt) are in a single serving of that product. It’s important to limit these nutrients, keeping your intake as low as possible.

Total Fat
While everyone needs some fat in their diet, it’s important to limit the amount, especially unhealthy saturated and trans fats. The different kinds of fat such as saturated, unsaturated and trans fats will be listed individually under the total fat.

Total Carbohydrate
This number tells you how many grams of carbohydrate are in one serving of that food. Carbohydrates are your body’s primary source of energy. There are three types of carbohydrates: sugars, starches, and fiber. The total amount of carbohydrates on a label is broken down into sugar and dietary fiber (both are a component of the total carbohydrates in that product).

How Do You Know if Your Food Contains Added Sugar?
Dairy and fruits contain natural sugar. These foods (i.e. yogurt, milk, applesauce) may contain more grams of sugar than others. For food that does not contain natural sugar, such as cereal, look to the ingredients list to see if a form of sugar has been added.