Finding food that’s both tasty and healthy can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially if you’re unsure what to look for on nutrition labels.
However, the nutrition label is a very useful tool. Despite the attractive marketing on the front, the information on the back can help you identify which foods truly align with your health goals.
Once you get the hang of prioritizing the information on these labels, choosing what to eat can become much less daunting.
Nutrition Tip of the Day: Focus on This When Examining Nutrition Labels
According to registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo, she always checks the ingredients list first when assessing a nutrition label. After that, she looks at the added sugar content.
“This gives me a quick overview of the food’s quality and helps me select products I actually enjoy,” says Rizzo, who also serves as TODAY’s nutrition editor.
Why It’s Important
The ingredient list is crucial, as it reveals what’s really in the food before you even dive into the numbers, Rizzo explains. “I prefer to see ingredients like whole grains, nuts, or fruit at the top, instead of a long list of processed ingredients and additives.”
She’s not particularly fond of stevia or other non-nutritive sweeteners, so she uses the ingredients list to eliminate options that include them.
Looking at the added sugar really helps to cut through all the “healthy” marketing claims, she adds.
“Many packaged foods might appear healthy based solely on what’s advertised on the front, but the ingredient list and added sugar can often tell a different story,” Rizzo clarifies.
“For certain items, like yogurt, I expect the ingredient list to be fairly short, but the nutrition panel reveals how much added sugar is actually present.”
Getting Started
Navigating nutrition labels can be tricky, but once you learn how to interpret them, they can actually simplify your eating choices.
If the ingredients and added sugar levels meet your standards, Dr. Ian Smith suggests keeping a few more factors in mind when choosing foods:
- Serving size, which is the basis for all the numbers on the label.
- Calories. Knowing this helps you stay within your daily calorie goals.
- Protein. Aim for a minimum of 20 grams at each meal.
- Fiber. Aim for at least 25 grams of fiber daily.
And generally speaking, the less added sugar, the better. Smith suggests looking for foods that contain no more than 6-7 grams of added sugar per serving.
