Understanding Food Labels
A big portion of the the nutrition label is filled with long, bolded names, numbers and percentages. But what do they mean? The first block of bolded names are nutrients Americans eat regularly or too much, such as cholesterol, fat and sodium. Since eating too much saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and cholesterol are associated with certain diseases and conditions, the FDA recommends limiting consumption of these nutrients. Below these are the vitamins and minerals you should make sure you’re getting enough of, such as vitamin A and calcium. The percentages on the right are the percent daily value. This indicates how much of your daily nutritional needs are met for that particular nutrient if you eat the serving size. For example, if the daily value of vitamin A is 10 percent, you still need 90 percent to satisfy your daily need. These percentages are based on a 2,000-calorie diet, so these values may change, depending on your dietary needs.
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