Remember when surprises in your food used to be fun? A temporary tattoo. A neon-orange whistle. A mini Barbie. These days, though, a surprise inside isn't always a good thing, especially when it comes to trans fats, added sugars, and hidden calories. Fortunately, almost every food product you buy comes with a label designed to take the mystery out of your meals. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to determine what, in fact, that label is telling you—which is where this illustrated guide to nutrition labels comes in. Think of it as your own nutritional decoder ring.
Serving Size
All the information on a nutrition facts panel is based on one thing: serving size. So look for the "servings per container" line, which is indicated at the top of every Nutrition Facts Label, as mandated by the FDA. Many items most of us think of as one serving—like a regular 16-ounce bottle of Snapple —are really two servings. If that's the case, double the calories and the rest of the nutritional info. Foods listed in ounces require some quick math and good estimation: If a bag of pretzels holds 12 ounces total and the serving size is 3 ounces, one serving is a quarter of the bag.
Calories
If you're trying to slim down or stay at a healthy weight, this is the most important number on the label. Whether a food is low-carb, low-fat, high-fiber, or gluten-free, you'll gain weight if you take in more calories than you burn. To avoid miscalculating calories, buy food that comes in single servings. Not only is the calorie count a no-brainer, but you'll be less likely to overeat: A study from Cornell University found that people who were given large tubs of popcorn put away 45 percent more of it than those who had medium tubs.
Percent Daily Value
The FDA recommends eating a specific amount of certain nutrients every day, which is why they're called Daily Values or DVs. They're also known as DRVs (Daily Reference Values) or RDIs (Reference Daily Intakes). Beware: The DVs listed on food labels are based on a 2,000-calorie diet, but women usually take in fewer. As a general guideline, add six percentage points to each DV if you're on a 1,500-calorie diet and two if you're averaging 1,800 calories. So for a 1,500-calorie-a-day woman, a 25 percent DV of saturated fat in a burrito is really a 31 percent DV.
Fats
You need fat—up to 62 grams per day if you're on a 1,600-calorie diet—to synthesize hormones and protect vital organs, among other things. It's the type of fat you eat that makes a difference. Avoid saturated and trans fats, which increase your risk for heart disease by boosting heart-clogging LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Trans fats also lower HDL ("good") cholesterol. Healthy fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) aren't always listed on food labels, so subtract saturated and trans fats from the total fat to find them out, says Alice Lichtenstein, DSc, director of the cardiovascular nutrition laboratory at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.
Cholesterol
Too much of this soft, waxy substance can build up in arteries and lead to heart disease, so limit your cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams a day. But also keep this in mind: Only about 25 percent of the cholesterol in your body is absorbed from food. The remaining 75 percent is produced by your liver, and any trans fats you eat (see "Fats") play a major role in this process. The fewer you consume the better.
Sodium
Aim for foods with 5 percent or less of the DV for sodium and avoid those with 20 percent or more to stay within the 1,500-milligram limit recommended by the new dietary guidelines. "Many of us eat restaurant meals loaded with salt, so it's important to choose low-sodium foods when we're grocery shopping," says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.
Carbohydrates
Carbs is a big umbrella category for sugars, starches, and sugar alcohols that all share a similar molecular structure and are an excellent source of energy. The right carbs can keep you full and fueled, but simple starches won't. Plus, they lack vitamins and minerals. So look for foods with "whole grain" high on the ingredient list.
Sugars
Our bodies break down fat and protein to create glucose, the fuel we run on. But sugar is already glucose, so our bodies can use it fast—it's a great source of short-term energy. It won't keep you going for long, though, and it doesn't contain any vitamins or minerals. Find foods that combine sugar with healthier ingredients. For example, fructose, the natural sugar found in fruit, is usually accompanied by high-fiber pulp, antioxidant-rich skin, and lots of vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins, including C and the Bs, will flush out of your body if you consume more than you need. (So taking huge amounts of them won't do anything but turn your pee orange.) Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K are stored in our bodies, and consuming too much of these can be toxic, though this is unlikely. Minerals can also cause harm if you go overboard—too much calcium, for instance, can lead to kidney stones and may decrease the absorption of other minerals like iron and zinc. You don't have to worry about OD'ing if you eat a balanced diet, but be careful when taking supplements.
"Not a Significant Source"
