Food Facts: How To Read the Nutrition Fact Label
Article By: Julie Upton
We'll point you toward the parts of a food's label you need to see, and show you how to navigate the rest of it.
When you're losing weight with Weight Watchers, it's necessary that you know your way around all those abbreviations and numbers listed on food labels. The PointsPlus™ values for thousands of foods are available to subscribers in our database, but occasionally you'll have to figure out one on your own, or using the PointsPlus calculator. In those cases, you'll need to look for the serving size, protein, total carbohydrate, total fat, and fiber.
Serving size
This is what the FDA says is a standard serving, which is uniform across product categories, making it easier to comparison shop. What you need to know is that the amount of nutrients is given per serving, and servings are often a fraction of the package contents. You need to multiply the information given by the number of servings you actually eat.
Servings per container
This is the number of servings in the entire package. For example, a 20-ounce bottle of soda holds 2 1/2 servings. If you drink it all (and who doesn't?), that means that you have to multiply the number of calories — and other nutrition facts — by 2 1/2.
Percent of daily value (%DV)
These percentages indicate how much of each nutrient one serving provides as part of a 2,000-calorie diet. If you eat 1,200 or 3,000 calories a day, this percentage would be adjusted up or down. Five percent or less of the %DV is considered low, whereas 20% or more is considered high.
Protein
This is the amount of total protein the food contains measured in grams. The Percent Daily Value (%DV) for protein is 50 grams.
Total carbohydrate
This is the amount of total carbohydrate per serving measured in grams. It includes sugars plus complex carbohydrates that are more slowly digested.
Total fat
This is the total fat per one serving in grams. (Worth noting: fat provides the most calories of any nutrient.)
Dietary fiber
This is the amount of soluble and insoluble fiber (indigestible forms of carbohydrate) per serving. Fiber is found primarily in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and beans. Look for foods that are high in %DV for fiber.
What about the rest of the numbers?
There's a lot of other info on the labels. To help you decipher the terms and focus on factors that are important to you, keep reading.
Calories
This is the amount of calories per FDA standard serving.
Calories from fat
Each gram of fat provides 9 calories so you can figure out the total fat calories in the product by multiplying the total grams of fat by 9.
Saturated fat
Saturated fats, which are found in meat, poultry, fish, baked goods and tropical oils, increase risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than 7% of daily calories come from saturated fat, which is 15.5 grams of saturated fat per day. Opt for foods that have a low %DV of saturated fat.
Trans fats
Trans fats are even more harmful for the heart than saturated fats. The AHA recommends only up to 1% of total calories from trans fats. On a 2,000-calorie diet, that would be 2 grams. The food label does not list a %DV for trans fats.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat
These are "good" unsaturated fats that may protect your heart when consumed in place of foods that contain saturated or trans fats. Labels may list these fats, but are not required to do so. If the label doesn't list poly- or monounsaturated fats, subtract the sum of the trans and saturated fat from total fat to calculate the grams of monos and polys.
Cholesterol
Dietary cholesterol, which should be limited for heart health, is found in meats, dairy products and in shrimp and egg yolks. The AHA recommends no more than 300 milligrams per day of cholesterol.
Sodium
The amount of sodium and the %DV should not exceed the 2,400 milligram-per-day limit set by the FDA.
Sugars
These are part of the grams of total carbohydrate but are the natural and added sugars per serving. There is no %DV for sugars. Choose foods that keep sugars low relative to total carbohydrate and fiber.
Vitamins and minerals
Food label are required to include Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Calcium and iron in terms of %DV that the serving provides. They sometimes also list additional vitamins and minerals. Look for foods that provide micronutrients to your diet.
Ingredients
The ingredient list includes all elements in a product listed by weight in descending order of amount contained in the product.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Supermarket Psychology
Supermarket Psychology
Article By: Roz Lewis
Your supermarket employs clever strategies to encourage shoppers to spend more; how can you keep control of your wallet and your waistline?
Have you ever gone shopping hungry and come out of the supermarket in shock, having spent far more than you thought you were going to? Or found yourself staring at products in your home, thinking, why on earth did I put that in my cart? If so, then you've succumbed to supermarket psychology, the marketing tactics that are employed by stores to get people like you to buy more products than you really need.
Marketing expertise
Supermarkets have been employing marketing experts and psychologists to design their stores for many years. The simple plan is to entice you to buy lots of goodies; whether or not you actually need them is beside the point.
Recognize the following devices?
An in-store bakery: The smell of freshly baked bread is designed to make us hungry and get us spending.
Produce near the front door: Fresh food looks best in natural light, hence you find these areas near the opening to the supermarket.
Hidden staples: Milk and bread are set far apart from the entrance and each other, to encourage consumers to walk through all parts of the store.
The "end cap" trick: Special displays at the end of the aisles, known as end-caps, are laden with offers; shoppers notice them more than regular displays.
Eye-catching at eye level: More expensive items with higher profit margins are placed at eye level, while the shop's basics range will be on the floor — companies actually pay more to have their products at eye level, as shoppers are considered "lazy" and will see them first.
David Lewis, a consumer psychologist and author of The Soul of the New Consumer: Authenticity, What We Buy and Why in the New Economy (Nicholas Brealey Publishing Ltd.) has spent 15 years analyzing how we buy. He says, "Nothing is left to chance. From the width of the aisles (planned so that you are prevented from bumping into other people, but aren't so wide that you can't get your hands on products) to the music (composers even spend their lives writing music designed to entice shoppers to buy more goods), a supermarket is a place where a consumer and his money are meant to part company. Remember that a supermarket is a bit like a machine; its mission is to get you to spend, so to counter this, you need to keep your wits about you."
The supermarkets have vast amounts of data about our shopping habits from point of sale, loyalty card databases and market research data that are given to psychologists and the retail geographers to create an optimum store layout.
So can you avoid the pitfalls of supermarket psychology? Yes, if you keep your wits about you and observe the following guidelines.
Go in with a list and stick to it
Eat before you go shopping
Stick to buy one, get one free offers and fresh produce markdowns; don't get sucked into complicated special offers — they are often misleading
Check if generic brand products are as cheap and as good as branded — sometimes they aren't
Consider shopping online — you won't be tempted by in-store marketing
Article By: Roz Lewis
Your supermarket employs clever strategies to encourage shoppers to spend more; how can you keep control of your wallet and your waistline?
Have you ever gone shopping hungry and come out of the supermarket in shock, having spent far more than you thought you were going to? Or found yourself staring at products in your home, thinking, why on earth did I put that in my cart? If so, then you've succumbed to supermarket psychology, the marketing tactics that are employed by stores to get people like you to buy more products than you really need.
Marketing expertise
Supermarkets have been employing marketing experts and psychologists to design their stores for many years. The simple plan is to entice you to buy lots of goodies; whether or not you actually need them is beside the point.
Recognize the following devices?
An in-store bakery: The smell of freshly baked bread is designed to make us hungry and get us spending.
Produce near the front door: Fresh food looks best in natural light, hence you find these areas near the opening to the supermarket.
Hidden staples: Milk and bread are set far apart from the entrance and each other, to encourage consumers to walk through all parts of the store.
The "end cap" trick: Special displays at the end of the aisles, known as end-caps, are laden with offers; shoppers notice them more than regular displays.
Eye-catching at eye level: More expensive items with higher profit margins are placed at eye level, while the shop's basics range will be on the floor — companies actually pay more to have their products at eye level, as shoppers are considered "lazy" and will see them first.
David Lewis, a consumer psychologist and author of The Soul of the New Consumer: Authenticity, What We Buy and Why in the New Economy (Nicholas Brealey Publishing Ltd.) has spent 15 years analyzing how we buy. He says, "Nothing is left to chance. From the width of the aisles (planned so that you are prevented from bumping into other people, but aren't so wide that you can't get your hands on products) to the music (composers even spend their lives writing music designed to entice shoppers to buy more goods), a supermarket is a place where a consumer and his money are meant to part company. Remember that a supermarket is a bit like a machine; its mission is to get you to spend, so to counter this, you need to keep your wits about you."
The supermarkets have vast amounts of data about our shopping habits from point of sale, loyalty card databases and market research data that are given to psychologists and the retail geographers to create an optimum store layout.
So can you avoid the pitfalls of supermarket psychology? Yes, if you keep your wits about you and observe the following guidelines.
Go in with a list and stick to it
Eat before you go shopping
Stick to buy one, get one free offers and fresh produce markdowns; don't get sucked into complicated special offers — they are often misleading
Check if generic brand products are as cheap and as good as branded — sometimes they aren't
Consider shopping online — you won't be tempted by in-store marketing
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
SIMPLE PEACH CRISP
Simple Peach Crisp
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter
10 medium peaches
2 tbsp white sugar
1. Cut the peaches into slices and place in a pie plate. Sprinkle 2 tbs of white sugar over peaches.
2. Mix oats, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut 2 tablespoons of butter into small pieces and use two forks or a pastry cutter to mix butter into oat mixture.
3. Cover the peaches with the oat mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Makes 6 servings, PointsPlus® Value per serving: 4
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter
10 medium peaches
2 tbsp white sugar
1. Cut the peaches into slices and place in a pie plate. Sprinkle 2 tbs of white sugar over peaches.
2. Mix oats, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut 2 tablespoons of butter into small pieces and use two forks or a pastry cutter to mix butter into oat mixture.
3. Cover the peaches with the oat mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Makes 6 servings, PointsPlus® Value per serving: 4
Thursday, August 25, 2011
EGGPLANT CASSEROLE
EGGPLANT CASSEROLE - Thank you INA MAYNE from Mt.Airy
POINTSPLUS VALUE: 8
SERVINGS:4
INGREDIENTS
6 SERVINGS MORNING STAR CRUMBLE- 1 BAG
6 SERVINGS HUNT SPAGHETTI SAUCE-1 CAN
1 CUP 2% MILK REDUCED FAT NATURAL SHREDDED CHEESE-MOZZARELLA CHEESE
2 LARGE EGGPLANTS
INSTRUCTIONS
PEAL AND SLICE EGGPLANT ABOUT 1/2 INCH THICK
SPRAY COOKIE SHEET WITH OLIVE OIL PAM
PLACE EGGPLANT ON SHEET AND SPRAY THEM WITH PAM ALSO
BAKE AT 400 DEGREES FOR 30 MIN. WHEN DONE LET COOL
SPRAY A 8X8 CAKE PAN WITH PAM AND BEGIN TO LAYER
TOP WITH CHEESE
RETURN TO OVEN 350 DEGREES FOR ABOUT 20 MINS
TIPS
THIS CAN BE A MAKE AHEAD MEAL. .IT FREEZES WELL.
YOU CAN ALSO ADD EXTRAS LIKE PEPPERS ,ONIONS,HERBS,ETC
POINTSPLUS VALUE: 8
SERVINGS:4
INGREDIENTS
6 SERVINGS MORNING STAR CRUMBLE- 1 BAG
6 SERVINGS HUNT SPAGHETTI SAUCE-1 CAN
1 CUP 2% MILK REDUCED FAT NATURAL SHREDDED CHEESE-MOZZARELLA CHEESE
2 LARGE EGGPLANTS
INSTRUCTIONS
PEAL AND SLICE EGGPLANT ABOUT 1/2 INCH THICK
SPRAY COOKIE SHEET WITH OLIVE OIL PAM
PLACE EGGPLANT ON SHEET AND SPRAY THEM WITH PAM ALSO
BAKE AT 400 DEGREES FOR 30 MIN. WHEN DONE LET COOL
SPRAY A 8X8 CAKE PAN WITH PAM AND BEGIN TO LAYER
TOP WITH CHEESE
RETURN TO OVEN 350 DEGREES FOR ABOUT 20 MINS
TIPS
THIS CAN BE A MAKE AHEAD MEAL. .IT FREEZES WELL.
YOU CAN ALSO ADD EXTRAS LIKE PEPPERS ,ONIONS,HERBS,ETC
Super Cheesy Squash
Super Cheesy Squash
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds zucchini or summer squash, (about 4 medium), sliced 1/4 inch thick rounds or triangles
Freshly ground salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese or spice it up with pepperjack, (1 ounce)
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini/squash and cook, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, until tender and most of the slices are golden brown, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle with salt and pepper; stir to combine.
2. Sprinkle with cheese, cover and cook until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve warm.
Makes four 3/4 cup servings, PointsPlus® Value per serving: 1
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds zucchini or summer squash, (about 4 medium), sliced 1/4 inch thick rounds or triangles
Freshly ground salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese or spice it up with pepperjack, (1 ounce)
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini/squash and cook, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, until tender and most of the slices are golden brown, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle with salt and pepper; stir to combine.
2. Sprinkle with cheese, cover and cook until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve warm.
Makes four 3/4 cup servings, PointsPlus® Value per serving: 1
Lose for Good 2011
Get Ready for the LOSE FOR GOOD campaign!
Weight Watchers® fourth annual Lose For Good campaign kicks off August 28 and runs
through October 15. As members across the country lose weight and participate in other
activities during the campaign, Weight Watchers will donate money, up to $1 million, to
Share Our Strength® and Action Against Hunger, charitable organizations that help feed
hungry kids and families in the United States and around the world.
What is Meatless Monday?
A quick taste of Meatless Monday
www.meatlessmonday.com
WHAT IS MEATLESS MONDAY?
An international movement to help people reduce their meat consumption by 15% to improve personal health and the health of the planet. We are a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns, in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
WHY MEATLESS?
On average, Americans consume 8 ounces of meat per day – 45% more than the USDA recommends. Going meatless once a week can reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help limit your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.
WHY MONDAY?
Multiple studies have shown that periodic health prompts lead to positive behavior change. Monday is the beginning of the week, making it the perfect time to reevaluate our choices and set our intentions for the coming days. With a Meatless Monday, you have a scheduled, recurring reminder to start your week off on a nutritious note. And if this Monday passes you by, next week is another opportunity to focus on health!
FOR YOUR HEALTH
REDUCE HEART DISEASE Beans, peas, nuts and seeds contain little to no saturated fats. Reducing saturated fats can help keep your cholesterol low, and cut risk of cardiovascular disease.
LIMIT CANCER RISK Hundreds of studies suggest that diets high in fruits and vegetables can reduce cancer risk. Red meat consumption is associated with colon cancer.
FIGHT DIABETES Research suggests that plant-based diets– particularly those low in processed meat – can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.
CURB OBESITY People on low-meat or vegetarian diets have significantly lower body weights and body mass indices. A plant-based diet is a great source of fiber (absent in animal products). This makes you feel full with fewer calories, ie. lower calorie intake and less overeating.
LIVE LONGER Red and processed meat consumption is associated with increases in total mortality, cancer mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality.
IMPROVE YOUR DIET Consuming beans or peas results in higher intakes of fiber, protein, folate, zinc, iron and magnesium with lower intakes
FOR YOUR WALLET
CUT WEEKLY BUDGETFood prices continue to rise. Current increases are especially sharp in packaged items and meat, which require extra expenses like feed and transportation. Forgoing meat once a week is a great way to cut the weekly budget.
CURB HEALTHCARE SPENDINGTreatment of chronic preventable diseases accounts for 70% of total U.S. healthcare spending. By reducing our risk for these conditions, we can curtail healthcare spending nationwide.
FOR OUR PLANET
REDUCE CARBON FOOTPRINTThe UN estimates the meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that accelerate climate change.
MINIMIZE WATER USAGEThe water needs of livestock are huge, far above those of vegetables or grains. An estimated 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef.
REDUCE FUEL DEPENDENCEOn average, about 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feed lot beef in the U.S. (compared to 2.2 calories of fossil fuel for plant-based protein).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.meatlessmonday.com
WHAT IS MEATLESS MONDAY?
An international movement to help people reduce their meat consumption by 15% to improve personal health and the health of the planet. We are a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns, in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
WHY MEATLESS?
On average, Americans consume 8 ounces of meat per day – 45% more than the USDA recommends. Going meatless once a week can reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help limit your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.
WHY MONDAY?
Multiple studies have shown that periodic health prompts lead to positive behavior change. Monday is the beginning of the week, making it the perfect time to reevaluate our choices and set our intentions for the coming days. With a Meatless Monday, you have a scheduled, recurring reminder to start your week off on a nutritious note. And if this Monday passes you by, next week is another opportunity to focus on health!
FOR YOUR HEALTH
REDUCE HEART DISEASE Beans, peas, nuts and seeds contain little to no saturated fats. Reducing saturated fats can help keep your cholesterol low, and cut risk of cardiovascular disease.
LIMIT CANCER RISK Hundreds of studies suggest that diets high in fruits and vegetables can reduce cancer risk. Red meat consumption is associated with colon cancer.
FIGHT DIABETES Research suggests that plant-based diets– particularly those low in processed meat – can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.
CURB OBESITY People on low-meat or vegetarian diets have significantly lower body weights and body mass indices. A plant-based diet is a great source of fiber (absent in animal products). This makes you feel full with fewer calories, ie. lower calorie intake and less overeating.
LIVE LONGER Red and processed meat consumption is associated with increases in total mortality, cancer mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality.
IMPROVE YOUR DIET Consuming beans or peas results in higher intakes of fiber, protein, folate, zinc, iron and magnesium with lower intakes
FOR YOUR WALLET
CUT WEEKLY BUDGETFood prices continue to rise. Current increases are especially sharp in packaged items and meat, which require extra expenses like feed and transportation. Forgoing meat once a week is a great way to cut the weekly budget.
CURB HEALTHCARE SPENDINGTreatment of chronic preventable diseases accounts for 70% of total U.S. healthcare spending. By reducing our risk for these conditions, we can curtail healthcare spending nationwide.
FOR OUR PLANET
REDUCE CARBON FOOTPRINTThe UN estimates the meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that accelerate climate change.
MINIMIZE WATER USAGEThe water needs of livestock are huge, far above those of vegetables or grains. An estimated 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef.
REDUCE FUEL DEPENDENCEOn average, about 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feed lot beef in the U.S. (compared to 2.2 calories of fossil fuel for plant-based protein).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
