THE RIGHT TOOL TO BALANCE YOUR DIET You probably already use the Nutrition Facts label in some way maybe to check calories fat or sodium content But the more familiar you are with the information the more you ll want to use it daily to ensure you re eating a healthy balanced diet Use the label when you shop as you plan your meals and as you cook each day The label makes it easy to determine the amounts of nutrients you re getting and to compare one product to another Strive for a diet that emphasizes fruits vegetables whole grains and fat free or low fat milk and milk products Include lean meats poultry fish beans and nuts Choose foods that are low in saturated fats trans fats cholesterol salt and added sugar Regular physical activity is important for your overall health and fitness It also helps you control body weight by balancing the calories you take in from food with the calories you expend each day For more information visit www healthierus gov dietaryguidelines HERE S WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ON HEALTHY LIVING U S Department of Health and Human Services Dietary Guidelines for Americans www healthierus gov dietaryguidelines Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension DASH www nhlbi nih gov health public heart hbp dash U S Food and Drug Administration Nutrition Facts Label www cfsan fda gov dms foodlab html U S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Nutrition and Physical Activity www cdc gov nccdphp dnpa U S Department of Agriculture Nutrition Information www nutrition gov Eating healthier and feeling better using the Food Pyramid www mypyramid gov Nutrition Facts Label FDA is responsible for promoting and protecting the public s health by ensuring that the nation s food supply is safe sanitary wholesome and honestly labeled August 2006 U S Department of Health and Human Services U S Department of Agriculture www healthierus gov dietaryguidelines THE RIGHT TOOL TO BALANCE YOUR DIET You probably already use the Nutrition Facts label in some way maybe to check calories fat or sodium content But the more familiar you are with the information the more you ll want to use it daily to ensure you re eating a healthy balanced diet Use the label when you shop as you plan your meals and as you cook each day The label makes it easy to determine the amounts of nutrients you re getting and to compare one product to another Strive for a diet that emphasizes fruits vegetables whole grains and fat free or low fat milk and milk products Include lean meats poultry fish beans and nuts Choose foods that are low in saturated fats trans fats cholesterol salt and added sugar Regular physical activity is important for your overall health and fitness It also helps you control body weight by balancing the calories you take in from food with the calories you expend each day For more information visit www healthierus gov dietaryguidelines HERE S WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ON HEALTHY LIVING U S Department of Health and Human Services Dietary Guidelines for Americans www healthierus gov dietaryguidelines Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension DASH www nhlbi nih gov health public heart hbp dash U S Food and Drug Administration Nutrition Facts Label www cfsan fda gov dms foodlab html U S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Nutrition and Physical Activity www cdc gov nccdphp dnpa U S Department of Agriculture Nutrition Information www nutrition gov Eating healthier and feeling better using the Food Pyramid www mypyramid gov Nutrition Facts Label FDA is responsible for promoting and protecting the public s health by ensuring that the nation s food supply is safe sanitary wholesome and honestly labeled August 2006 U S Department of Health and Human Services U S Department of Agriculture www healthierus gov dietaryguidelines Know your fats and reduce sodium for your health USE THE NUTRITION FACTS LABEL TO EAT HEALTHIER To help reduce your risk of heart disease use the label to select foods that are lowest in saturated fat trans fat and cholesterol Trans fat doesn t have a DV but consume as little as possible because it increases your risk of heart disease Check the serving size and number of servings The DV for total fat includes all different kinds of fats The Nutrition Facts Label information is based on ONE serving but many packages contain more Look at the serving size and how many servings you are actually consuming If you double the servings you eat you double the calories and nutrients including the DVs To help lower blood cholesterol replace saturated and trans fats with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in fish nuts and liquid vegetable oils Limit sodium to help reduce your risk of high blood pressure When you compare calories and nutrients between brands check to see if the serving size is the same Reach for healthy wholesome carbohydrates Calories count so pay attention to the amount Fiber and sugars are types of carbohydrates Healthy sources like fruits vegetables beans and whole grains can reduce the risk of heart disease and improve digestive functioning This is where you ll find the number of calories per serving and the calories from fat in each serving Whole grain foods can t always be identified by color or name such as multi grain or wheat Look for the whole grain listed first in the ingredient list such as whole wheat brown rice or whole oats Fat free doesn t mean calorie free Lower fat items may have as many calories as full fat versions If the label lists that 1 serving equals 3 cookies and 100 calories and you eat 6 cookies you ve eaten 2 servings or twice the number of calories and fat There isn t a DV for sugar but you can compare the sugar content in grams among products Limit foods with added sugars sucrose glucose fructose corn or maple syrup which add calories but not other nutrients such as vitamins and minerals Make sure that added sugars are not one of the first few items in the ingredients list Look for foods that are rich in these nutrients Use the label not only to limit fat and sodium but also to increase nutrients that promote good health and may protect you from disease Some Americans don t get enough vitamins A and C potassium calcium and iron so choose the brand with the higher DV for these nutrients Get the most nutrition for your calories compare the calories to the nutrients you would be getting to make a healthier food choice The Daily Value is a key to a balanced diet For protein choose foods that are lower in fat The DV is a general
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