Read the fine print!

Nutrition labels are everywhere. But what's the point if you don't know how to read them? I used to just glance at the calories, and think something is healthy just because it's low in calories, but there's a lot more to look at then just that!

Serving Size - Easy to read, but easier to overlook

Not all snacks come with exactly one serving per package. Failing to realize this might cause you eat more calories than you really want! For example, last week I got a pack of Cheetos, which I realized said 2 servings per container after reading the nutrition label. The bag said only 160 calories per serving, but if I didn't read the nutrition label and ate the entire thing, I would actually consume double that amount!

Calories

What comes to mind when you think "high calorie" foods? Are they always unhealthy? Well, calories themselves aren't that bad. Calories are actually just a measure of how much energy is in a food, and just because something is high in calories does not mean that it's unhealthy. For example, do you think a can of Coca-Cola or a piece of roasted salmon is healthier? Obviously salmon is considered significantly healthier than Coca-Cola, even though a 4 oz piece of salmon is roughly 200-240 calories, which is more than a Coca-Cola's 140 calories. What matters isn't the number of calories in your food, but the nutritional breakdown of it.

Macromolecules

Yes, a big word, but not as scary as it sounds. They're just big molecules. Most of the calories in your meals come from 3 macromolecules: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Carbs: Carbs are your body's main source of energy. What matters more than the amount of carbs in your food is what type there is. Try checking the fiber content, which is listed under the carbs. Foods high in fiber are generally considered healthier because it keeps you full and helps with digestion. If the food is high in carbs but low in fiber, chances are that they're refined carbs and they will spike your blood sugar.

Protein: Protein is essential for building muscle, building/reparing body tissue, and making enzymes for your body. Protein also keeps you full, so if you incorporate protein in your diet your chances of getting hungry and snacking on unhealthy foods will decrease.

Fats: No, fats don't make you fat. Well, at least not all of them. Unsaturated fats (found in nuts, avocados, olive oil) are actually good for you. Trans fats are good to avoid but thankfully are not that common. Saturated fats aren't as bad as trans fats, but aren't as good as unsaturated fats either. Like anything, they should be consumed in moderation.

Sugars

Not all sugars are created the same. Sugars that are naturally occurring (such as in fruit) are healthier than added sugars (the sugars you see in soda and candy). The breakdown of the type of sugars can be found in the carbs section on the nutrition label.

The AHA recommends no morethan 25g of added sugar daily for women, and 36g for men. This might sound like a lot, until you realize that a standard 12 oz can of Coca-Cola has 39 grams of added sugar!

So, you might think that you can just avoid the added sugars by not eating candy or drinking soda, right? Wrong! Even foods that aren't necessarily sweet, such as white bread, pasta sauce, and salad dressings have surprising amounts of added sugar. This is why you should read the labels.

Sodium

Although it does not add calories, overconsumption of sodium can be dangerous and increase your risk of high blood pressure and other health issues.The daily recommendation is to consume less than 2300 mg, which most people exceed without even realizing.

% Daily Value

On the right side of every nutrition label, you'll see a bunch of percents, which refer to how much of your daily value something contributes. For example, a bag of chips might say 25% under daily value for sodium, meaning that if I finish it, I'm already 25% to reaching my daily recommended limit for sodium intake. But of course, you should take these numbers with a grain of salt (no pun intended) as they do not account for age, sex, preexisting health conditions, or physical activity levels. For example, a 5-year old girl should obviously not be following the same standards a 250 lb bodybuilder.

These numbers can be used as a general guideline, as something that says 4% daily value for protein is obviously not a significant source of protein, and something with 30% daily value saturated fat should be consumed in moderation.

In summary

Nutrition labels aren't something you should obsess or get paranoid over. That would be exhausting and probably lead me to an eating disorder. Some useful ways to use them might be to compare different snacks and see which is more nutrient-dense, or just to get a general assessment of whether or not it's healthy. Remember to always use your appropriate judgement!