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Decoding the Nutrition Label

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As of December 2005, all major food companies introduced the new nutrition label on their packaged foods.

What’s on the label? The main part of the new label is the Nutrition Facts Table, which gives you the following information: Calories and 13 nutrients: Fat, Saturated fat, Trans fat, Cholesterol, Sodium, Carbohydrate, Fibre, Sugars, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron.

Five easy steps to help you read the label.

Step 1: Look at the serving size
Compare the serving size on the package to the amount that you eat. If you eat the serving size shown on the Nutrition Facts Table you will get the amount of calories and nutrients that are listed.

Step 2: Look at the calories
Calories tell you how much energy you get from one serving of a packaged food.

Step 3: Look at the per cent Daily Value (% Daily Value)
% Daily Value puts nutrients on a scale from 0% to 100%. This scale tells you if there is a little or a lot of a nutrient in one serving of a packaged food. Use this percentage to compare the nutrient content of different foods.

  • If a food has between 5% and 14% of a nutrient, it means that the food is a source of that nutrient.
  • Between 15 and 24%, means the food is a good source of a nutrient (over 30% for vitamin C)
  • And over 25% is an excellent source of a nutrient (over 50% for vitamin C)

Step 4: Try to get more of these nutrients

  • Fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium 

Step 5 : Try to get less of these nutrients

  • Fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, cholesterol 

You can use the Nutrition Facts to:

  • Compare products more easily
  • Find out the nutritional value of foods
  • Better manage special diets, such as one that is low in sodium
  • Increase or decrease your intake of a particular nutrient (for example, increase fibre, decrease saturated fat)

Here's an example...

Beef Burgers Chicken Burgers
Nutrition Facts Nutrition Facts

Step 1: Serving size: The information on both packages refers to one burger.

Step 2: Calories: Each beef burger has 340 calories, each chicken burger had 200 calories.

Step 3: Look at the % Daily Value: Scan the numbers, and compare which burger is higher or lower in a particular nutrient.

Step 4: Nutrients you want more of: At 30%, the beef burger is an excellent source of iron.

Step 5: Nutrients you want less of: The fat and saturated fat content are higher in the beef burger. However, the chicken burger has double the amount of sodium as the beef burger.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking for an iron-rich food, the beef burger is your best bet. However, if you’re looking for a lower fat option (but much higher in sodium), then the chicken burger is the one to choose.

Source: Health Canada

What about nutrition claims?

Nutrition claims provide a snapshot about the amount of one specific nutrient in a food, such as fibre or fat. While nutrition claims are optional, they must meet government regulations before appearing on a package.

Here are some examples of common claims:

Source of Fibre

"Source of fibre" means the food contains at least 2 grams of fibre in the amount of food specified in the Nutrition Facts table. "High source of fibre" means at least 4 grams of fibre, and "Very high source of fibre" is at least 6 grams of fibre.

Low Fat

"Low fat" means that the food contains no more than 3 grams of fat in the amount of food specified in the Nutrition Facts table.

Cholesterol-free

The claim "Cholesterol-free" means that the product has a very small amount (less than 2 mg of cholesterol in the amount of food specified in the Nutrition Facts table) and it is also low in saturated fat and trans fat.

Sodium-free

A "sodium-free" claim means the amount of food specified in the Nutrition Facts table contains less than 5 mg of sodium.

Reduced in Calories

"Reduced in Calories" has at least 25% less energy (Calories) than the food it is being compared to ? most of the time, it’s being compared to the regular version of that food

Light

The term "light" is allowed only on foods that are either "reduced in fat" or "reduced in energy" (Calories). "Light" can also be used to describe sensory characteristics of a food, for example light tasting or light coloured.

Want to know more?

To test your know-how, try out Health Canada’s Interactive Nutrition Label Quiz.

Take a virtual grocery store tour.

 

Glossary

Calcium
Description:
This is the most important mineral for building bone density, preventing bone loss and treating osteoporosis. Calcium also regulates your heartbeat, helps with blood clotting and makes your muscles contract. Milk products, fortified soy beverages, dark leafy green vegetables, and almonds are all sources of calcium.
Carbohydrate
Description:
One of the three macronutrients, along with protein and fat, that supplies energy (calories) to the body. There are three categories of carbohydrates: sugars, starch and fiber.
Cholesterol
Description:
This is the most common type of steroid in the body and is made by the liver. It is present in every cell in the body and in many foods. Some cholesterol in the blood is necessary, but a high level of cholesterol in the blood can lead to health problems.
Fat
Description:
Is one of the nutrients, along with protein and carbohydrate, that supplies energy (calories) to the body. Dietary fats include saturated (animal flesh, butter, margarine, processed and fried foods), trans (hydrogenated oils) and unsaturated (vegetable oils). Unsaturated fats are the preferred type for health reasons.
Fibre
Description:
Is the part of the plant that cannot be digested, also called complex carbohydrates. Fibre can help your digestive tract work, regulate blood sugar, and lower blood cholesterol.
Food labelling
Description:
Includes basic information required by law to appear on labels of most pre-packed foods. Labelling on food helps Canadians make healthy and informed choices about the foods they buy and eat.
Serving Size
Description:
A serving size is a reference amount of food as defined by Health Canada to help you understand how much food is recommended every day from each food group. Food manufacturers also decide what makes up one serving for their products, which is listed on the Nutrition Facts Table. This number is not always the same as the Food Guide.
Sugars
Description:
A group of carbohydrates that help make our food sweet. Glucose, fructose, sucrose and lactose are some examples. The different names indicate that each sugar has a different chemical structure.
Trans Fat
Description:
Is a specific type of fat formed when liquid fats are made into solid fats by the addition of hydrogen atoms through a process called hydrogenation. Small amounts of trans fats are found naturally in certain animal based foods. Consumption of trans fat can increase your risk of developing heart disease.
Vitamin D
Description:
A vitamin that helps your body use and absorb calcium. Fish, milk and egg yolks are the best sources of vitamin D. Health Canada recommends that adults over the age of 50 take a daily vitamin D supplement of 400 IU.
Vitamin E
Description:
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that exists in eight different forms. Vegetable oils, nuts, green leafy vegetables, and fortified cereals are common food sources of vitamin E.

Provided by the Ministry of Health Promotion.

Ontario

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