Label me, please
Thanksgiving has come and gone and now most Americans are in what I call the “holiday grazing season.” That is to say that we are entering the Christmas time when we will have multiple families, friends, and office gatherings in which we celebrate our friendship and love in the traditional way of the South: food! If you recall, the average person consumes a staggering 4,500 calories and 220 grams of fat on Thanksgiving. But what does that mean? Per the FDA, the average person should take in somewhere around 2,000 calories per day and less than 65 grams of total fat. This varies depending on your health concerns and whether you are male or female. In order to help us know what is in the food that we eat, the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 was passed into law requiring that all food substances have basic nutritional facts clearly marked on the packaging.
We see them every day on virtually every food or drink items that we consume. The familiar black and white rectangular label sits overtly on the side or back of almost everything in our pantries and refrigerators. However, unless you are on a diet, many people do not pay attention to what it is that they are putting into their bodies. As we move into that “holiday grazing season,” perhaps the time has come to take an in-depth look at what is that we are putting into our bodies.
The best place to start is the is the severing size and number of servings per package. That reminds me of an old joke that says “any pizza is personal pizza size if you try hard enough.” Seriously, try to imagine how many servings of the item that you plan to eat/use and multiple that number by the single serving size. Some of the suggested servings are remarkable low making us believe that we are eating far fewer calories and fat that we actually are. Next, we see the calories and calories from fat. Calories provide a simple measure of how much energy you are getting from a serving of this food. Pay attention to how much of the calorie content comes from fat. The FDA recommends that only 10-15% of daily calories come from fat. However, must of us get a whopping 50% of our daily intake from fat calories!
Speaking of fats, the next measure is the total fat column. In this area, we should limit the total amount of fat we receive while paying close attention to saturated fat and trans fat. If possible, avoid trans fats altogether. You will notice a percentage number to the side. Once again, this is based on the average person who should be consuming 2,000 calories daily with only 65 grams of fat. So, the higher the percentage number, the closer you get to that limit in just a single serving of a food. Eating too much fat, as well as sodium and cholesterol, can lead to chronic diseases like heart problems, high blood pressure, or stroke.
Finally, take a look at the fiber and nutrients listing. Dietary fiber is listed first as grams and a percentage. Nutritionist recommend that we ingest about 25 grams of fiber daily in order to keep our GI system in balance. Vitamins are natural or artificially added properties to foods that give us fuel to grow. Once again, each vitamin has a specific amount needed based on the average diet of 2,000 calories; your induvial needs may vary. Vitamin A is needed for eyesight, growth, and taste sensations. The B vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12), work to, among other things, improve our nervous system. Vitamin C assists with immune defense and increasing cell lifespan. Vitamin D works to increase bone strength while vitamin E restores our skin cells. Finally, we have the minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and others that work to improve a variety of functions within the body. To eliminate confusion in measuring systems, many vitamins and mineral labels just give the percentage in which they are present in the food for a 2,000 calorie diet.
Having a balanced diet needs not be confusing. It is a great idea for all of us to get a better understanding of what we consume on a daily basis. Maybe your personal physician has recommended that you reduce your total intake of sodium or increase your dietary fiber. Whatever the case may be, you can find the answers that you need sitting in your cabinet at home. So before you fix that food this week, take a moment and notice that label and become an advocate of healthy living. Stay safe out there.
M. Eric Williams, MS, NR-P is a Mississippi native and the Assistant Director of Emergency Medical Technology Education at Jones County Junior College. He is a current Doctoral researcher at Delta State University and has 15 years’ experience in healthcare. If you have questions or comments, you may contact him at eric.williams@jcjc.edu
