Tweet
For people who live in the North American, European, Britain and some Asia-Pacific countries nutrition labels on food products are as trivial as checking out the price tag on it. But there are many such countries that are even a growing economy nutrient content on any packed food item is least cared about and people would obliviously purchase anything that could be nutritionally dangerous for them. It isn't that people do not want to know what is the nutritional content of a food item or product but they don't press for it to the brand that sells it. Unless you don't demand it you ain't getting it either.
Necessity for Nutrition Labels - Do you check if the produce and dairy you purchase from the store or grocer is fresh, clean and reasonably priced? Then why isn't the most important facts about the same food or any other packed food that determine what effect it could have on your body and mind worthy enough to be taken a note of? There could be preservatives toxic for your body in the food you buy, fat content could be alarming, vitamins could be denatured, minerals could be chelated, Protein content could be too high for certain contraindications. How do you know that the packed noodles you buy or the packed soup you eat is healthy, nutrients are untampered, the portion size offers a good amount of the total recommended daily allowances of whichever nutrient is present. If it is contraindicated if you suffer from metabolic disorders like diabetes, kidney failure, liver failure/ dysfunction, mineral metabolic dysfunction etc. If it is essential to know if the food you ingest is clean and prepared in hygienic environment and method then it is most important to know what does the food really contain.
Reading the label - Many people are unaware of how to primarily read the label and it isn't their fault because this isn't common man's knowledge to begin with and there hasn't been far spread and in depth education about this topic too. Even those in the most developed societies who get to read the nutrition facts just like the image above do not know what exactly to make of it. First and foremost check the net weight of the product and then divide it by 100 gm or 1 ounce (30 gm/ 25 gm) because the nutrition facts on the label are given in either portions. Then check the amount of total fat, % of saturated & unsaturated, hydrogenated fats from the fat content, then comes the total amount of protein and carbohydrates with sugars, you must next check the total amount of sodium content and either calcium or iron (as per the food product). What you must know though is if there are any preservatives that could account to the sodium or other inorganic substance in the product like nitrates, bicarbonates, phosphates. The fat content should not exceed above 15 -20% of the food and the carbohydrate content should be hovering around 50 - 60%, if the food is suppose to be a high protein food then it should be around 25 - 30% or else moderately around 12-15%. Sodium levels will obviously depend upon what the food is but the content to keep it under control should be level within 150 - 200 mg per serving. Other factors like MSG, tartaric acid, wax, any color additive and all of these have to be mentioned if at all present in even trace amounts. Dietary fiber is another important aspect to look out for and if fortified with extra nutrients then their respective amounts.
Once you've realized how much does the correct nutritional facts help in buying the right food you will see it percolating in your health as well. It is then more of a habit than a remembrance to check for the label that gives you a brief of how healthy and delicious you're food is going to be while dining.
Necessity for Nutrition Labels - Do you check if the produce and dairy you purchase from the store or grocer is fresh, clean and reasonably priced? Then why isn't the most important facts about the same food or any other packed food that determine what effect it could have on your body and mind worthy enough to be taken a note of? There could be preservatives toxic for your body in the food you buy, fat content could be alarming, vitamins could be denatured, minerals could be chelated, Protein content could be too high for certain contraindications. How do you know that the packed noodles you buy or the packed soup you eat is healthy, nutrients are untampered, the portion size offers a good amount of the total recommended daily allowances of whichever nutrient is present. If it is contraindicated if you suffer from metabolic disorders like diabetes, kidney failure, liver failure/ dysfunction, mineral metabolic dysfunction etc. If it is essential to know if the food you ingest is clean and prepared in hygienic environment and method then it is most important to know what does the food really contain.
Reading the label - Many people are unaware of how to primarily read the label and it isn't their fault because this isn't common man's knowledge to begin with and there hasn't been far spread and in depth education about this topic too. Even those in the most developed societies who get to read the nutrition facts just like the image above do not know what exactly to make of it. First and foremost check the net weight of the product and then divide it by 100 gm or 1 ounce (30 gm/ 25 gm) because the nutrition facts on the label are given in either portions. Then check the amount of total fat, % of saturated & unsaturated, hydrogenated fats from the fat content, then comes the total amount of protein and carbohydrates with sugars, you must next check the total amount of sodium content and either calcium or iron (as per the food product). What you must know though is if there are any preservatives that could account to the sodium or other inorganic substance in the product like nitrates, bicarbonates, phosphates. The fat content should not exceed above 15 -20% of the food and the carbohydrate content should be hovering around 50 - 60%, if the food is suppose to be a high protein food then it should be around 25 - 30% or else moderately around 12-15%. Sodium levels will obviously depend upon what the food is but the content to keep it under control should be level within 150 - 200 mg per serving. Other factors like MSG, tartaric acid, wax, any color additive and all of these have to be mentioned if at all present in even trace amounts. Dietary fiber is another important aspect to look out for and if fortified with extra nutrients then their respective amounts.
Once you've realized how much does the correct nutritional facts help in buying the right food you will see it percolating in your health as well. It is then more of a habit than a remembrance to check for the label that gives you a brief of how healthy and delicious you're food is going to be while dining.
No comments:
Post a Comment