How to Read Labels — Lesson II

Written by Irina Wardas on August 11th, 2009

Do you normally read labels before buying anything in the store? Well, sometimes it can spoil your appetit but improve your health and well being.

As a holistic health and nutrition counselor, I always remind my clients that if they want to lose weight, get rid of cravings, lower your blood pressure, prevent headaches and migraines, help with PMS and hormonal imbalance, reduce risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes, reading labels is a must.

Here are some tips on how:

1. The serving size

The information on the labels is only for one serving. If the the product contains more than one serving, do the math

2. Calories and calories from fat

Assuming that you are on 2,000 calorie diet, 40 calories is considered low, 100 calories is medium, and 400+ is considered high. Always check if calories come from fats, nutrients, fiber, carbohydrates, sugars, etc.

3. Total Fat

We shouldn’t have more than 65-70 grams of fat per day, it means no more than 30% of total calories coming from fat. The easiest way to convert calories from fat, multiply by 9.

4. Trans Fat

If the labels say 0 trans fats but the product contains partially hydrogenated oils, there is still 0.5 or less of trans fats per serving. Well, do the math before you eat too much of 0 fat products. Trans fat is very dangerous for our health, because it clogs arteries which leads to heart disease.

5. Sodium.

The amount of sodium means the amount of salt per serving. Look for products with 140 milligrams per serving or less. Too much sodium is dangerous because it raises our blood pressure which can lead to heart attack and stroke.

6. Dietary fiber

Ladies, to feel and look fabulous, we need at least 25-30 grams of total fiber daily. Don’t be fooled or confused with whole wheat, multigrain bread. If your favorite bread contains less than 3 grams of fiber, it is not as healthy as you think it is. Look for products with 3-5 grams of fiber per serving.

7. Sugar content

Always remember that 4 grams of sugar = 1 tsp. And don’t forget to look for hidden sugar.

8. The footnote

The footnote is your reference. The “less than” means that you should limit intake of these nutrients.

Let us be label reading smart , shall we?

Don’t forget to breathe, smile and be happy.

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert

NaturalCounselor.com