Knowing how to read nutrition labels is an important skill to learn. In this blog post, we will show you the basics of how to properly read nutrition labels.
Here is an example of a nutrition labels from one of our recipes:
Pay attention to serving size:
In the Pizza Bagel Recipe, the serving size is 1 x 3. Three bagels is one serving.
Check calories:
- 40 is low
- 100 is moderate
- 400 or more is high
638.6 kcal is high.
Limit these:
- Fat
Total fat: 26 kg
Saturated fat: 18.6 kg
Trans fat: 0.2 kg
- Cholesterol
11 mg
- Sodium
1521 mg
Make sure to get enough of these:
- Dietary Fiber
5.4 g
- Vitamin A
22%
- Vitamin C
28%
- Calcium
52%
- Iron
29%
Quick guide to % Daily Value
- 5% or less is low
- 20% or more is high
For example in the Pizza Bagel recipe, it is high in calories (32%) and low in cholesterol (4%).
Recommended Dietary Advice for All Americans
This lovely graphic comes from the Ohio State University’s Dining Services
It’s also important to note that many nutrition labels include the list of ingredients at the end of the label. The ingredients listed towards the front of the list are in the recipe in a higher quantity than ingredients listed towards the end of the list. As a rule of thumb, if you can’t pronounce it or don’t know what it is, the ingredient is most likely unhealthy. Also be sure to check if the ingredients are sustainable. For example, palm oil is not sustainable. You can download the Sustainable Palm Oil Shopping app created by the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to make sure that the products you are buying are sustainable (and orangutan friendly).