Learn how to read food labels and make healthier meal and snack choices for you and your family.

1. Using Food Labels to
Make Healthier Food
Choices
Reading Labels
What’s on a label?
• Nutrition Facts
• Serving Size: Look at this first!
– Standardized measurements
– Similar food products have similar serving sizes
• Servings per container: this too!
– Refers to the number of servings included in the
package
– Often we eat the whole package
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2. What’s on a label?
• Calories and Calories from fat
– Calories measure the energy supplied from
food
– Calories from fat reflect the number of fat
calories the product provides per serving
What’s on a label?
• Total Fat
– The amount of fat (in grams) included in
each serving
– Overall diet should contain 25-35% of
calories from fat each day
What’s on a label?
• Sodium
– Too much can lead to high blood pressure
– 2,400 mg per day is RDA, may be lower on special
diets
• Cholesterol
– Found in animal products only
– Dietary Cholesterol does not always affect blood
cholesterol
– Too much can lead to heart disease
– Try for <300mg per day
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3. What’s on a label?
• Carbohydrates
– Total carbohydrate - daily intake should be
45-55% total calories
– Fiber – 25-35 grams recommended per day
– Sugars – avoid excessive amounts
• Protein
– Recommended intake 15-20% total calories
– Most of us get enough protein without trying
5 and 20 Rule
Look at the Percent Daily Values (%DV)
• 5 percent or less is considered “low”
• 20 percent or more is considered “high”
Fiber, vitamins and minerals –
• 5 or less is bad
• 20 or more is good
Fat, sodium and cholesterol -
• 5 or less is good
• 20 or more is bad
Healthy Grocery Shopping
• Fill your cart with fresh fruits and
vegetables
• Choose high fiber foods
• Avoid processed foods
• Shop the perimeter
• Try new products
• Read food labels
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4. Bread and Grains
• Select whole grain products
• Choose foods that have 3 or more grams of
fiber per serving
• Remember portion control with enriched grains
• What are good whole grain sources?
• brown rice, whole wheat pasta, popcorn,
whole wheat couscous, quinoa, barley,
cracked wheat, whole grain cereals, oatmeal
Vegetables
• Choose veggies “in season” to lower cost
• The deeper the color the more nutritious
• Choose super foods-broccoli, cauliflower,
tomatoes, sweet potatoes, dark leafy
greens, red, green and yellow peppers
• Frozen or canned?
Fruits
• Select fresh when possible
• Variety is key. Try oranges, grapefruit,
melons, strawberries, mangos,
blueberries, kiwi, apricots
• Frozen or canned?
• What about organic fruits & veggies?
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5. Organics: if you have to choose
Dirty Dozen 12 Least Contaminated
– Peaches – Onions
– Apples – Avocado
– Sweet Bell Peppers – Sweet Corn (Frozen)
– Celery – Pineapples
– Nectarines – Mango
– Strawberries – Asparagus
– Cherries – Sweet Peas (Frozen)
– Pears – Kiwi Fruit
– Grapes (Imported) – Bananas
– Spinach – Cabbage
– Lettuce – Broccoli
– Potatoes – Papaya
www.ewg.org
Dairy Products
• Purchase “Skim and Low-fat products”
• Mix together fat free and reduced fat products
to lower overall fat content
– Example: 2% cheese + fat free cheese = 1%
cheese
• Wean down from 2% milk 1% milk skim
milk
• Choose natural cheeses over processed
• How many servings per day?
Meats
Choose lean cuts of meat
– Beef: Flank, Round, Sirloin, Tenderloin
• The more white marbling – the higher the fat
• Ground Beef- look for Select, Extra Lean
– Chicken & Turkey: white meat, skinless
– Pork: Loin cuts, Tenderloin, Canadian bacon
– Sandwich meats: at least 95% fat-free, watch
sodium content
– Grill, bake, & broil instead of frying
• What is the serving size for meat?
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6. Seafood
• Strive to eat 2-3 (3-ounce) servings/week
• Sources of Omega-3 fat: salmon (Alaska
wild), tuna (Albacore), mackerel, herring,
& sardines
• Also try shrimp, scallops, crab, lobster,
cod, halibut, catfish & tilapia
• Grill, bake, & broil instead of frying
• Seafoodwatch.org
Eggs
• Excellent source of protein
• Limit to 3 egg yolks per week – due to
cholesterol content
• Egg whites are unlimited!
• Try egg substitute or Omega-3 eggs
Nuts & Seeds
• Good source of protein, vitamins, minerals,
and heart healthy fats
• Good choices:
– unsalted almonds, walnuts, pecans, & peanuts
– natural peanut, almond or cashew butter
– Flaxseed, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds
• Aim for 3-5 servings of nuts, seeds, and
legumes/dry beans per week:
– 1 oz., ¼ cup, or palm full of nuts
– 2 T. peanut, almond or cashew butter
– 2 T. seeds (flaxseed, pumpkin, sunflower, etc)
– ½ cup legumes and dry beans
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7. Beans and Legumes
• Packed with protein, fiber, & complex carbs
• Inexpensive
• Many varieties - black beans, kidney beans,
lentils, chickpeas, navy beans, lima beans,
soybeans, edamame
• Gradually add to diet to avoid “gas”
• Try having a meatless meal several times a
week!
• How could you add more servings of beans to
your diet?
Fats and Oils
• Butter vs margarine
• Best choice: tub margarine with no trans fat or
light butter
• Avoid trans fat, hydrogenated or partially
hydrogenated vegetable oils
• Choose liquid vegetable oil (olive and canola)
• Ok to use non-stick cooking sprays
• How can you choose the best salad dressing?
Beverages
• WATER!!!
• Juices
– Watch sugar content
– Only choose products that are 100% fruit juice
– Limit to 8 oz or less serving each day
• Green, White or Black tea – full of antioxidants
• Be careful with energy drinks (Powerade, Gatorade)
– Should only be consumed when exercising heavily for more
than one hour
– High in sugar and sodium
• Limit consumption of sodas
– Potentially high in sugar and sodium
– Choose diet sodas
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8. Conclusion
• What goes in your shopping cart
determines what goes in your body!
• Exchanging healthy foods for unhealthy
foods at the grocery store helps you make
healthy choices at home.
For More Information from UT Medical Center:
• Wellness Nutrition Program
1.877.UT.CARES (1.877.882.2737)
• Healthy Living Kitchen
www.utmedicalcenter.org/healthylivingkitchen
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