Carefully Checking the Nutrition Label Will Help You Make Smarter Choices at the Supermarket

	Auburn, March 12---How much attention do you pay to the Nutrition Facts labels on the 
packages of food you buy?  
	Learning to read and understand the information on the label or food package can help you cut 
calories, among many other benefits, says Dr. Evelyn Crayton, a foods and nutrition specialist and 
registered dietitian with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. 
	“With obesity and diabetes on the rise, Americans need to know what a serving size of food really 
is.  Food labels help us know many things in addition to servings,” says Crayton.  
	Reading the label is simple to do. First check the servings on the package to see how it compares 
to what you eat in one sitting.  Then check the calories per serving and the fat content.  If you need to 
watch your salt intake, make sure you look at the sodium.  
	Most important is to look at the nutrient benefits you will receive by eating a particular food, says 
Crayton.  Some of the nutrients to look for are the protein, carbohydrate and whether or not the food 
contains more mono or polyunsaturated fat – the better fat for your health.
	Labels are required to have specific meanings such as:
*	Free  -- an amount so small that it probably won’t have any effect on your body. 
Examples include: “calorie-free,” “fat-free” or “sodium-free.”
*	Low  --  A small amount of or low source of calories, fat or cholesterol.
*	Reduced – A food with at least 25 percent less calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol or 
sodium than a comparable food.  Look at what it is being compared to.
*	High – Twenty percent or more of the daily value for a nutrient. Examples include “high 
in vitamin C, “or “high-calcium.”  Other terms are, “excellent source of,” or “rich in.” 
*	 Good Source --  Ten to 19 percent of the daily value for a nutrient -- for example, “good 
source of fiber,” or terms such as “contains” or “provides.”
*	More – Ten percent or more of the daily value.  Examples are “more fiber,” or “more 
iron,” or terms such as “enriched” or “fortified.”
*	Light – A third fewer calories or 50 percent less fat than the traditional version. A low-
calorie or low-fat food with 50 percent less sodium might also be called “light” or “lite.”
*	Healthy – Low in fat and saturated fat, 60 milligrams or less cholesterol per serving, 480 
milligrams or less sodium per serving, and at least 10 percent of the daily value per 
serving of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, protein and fiber.  Raw, frozen, and 
canned fruits and vegetables are exceptions; they can be labeled healthy without having 
10 percent of the daily value or more of these nutrients per serving.
On seafood, meat and poultry look for:
*	Lean --  Less than 10 grams of total fat, 4 grams of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of 
cholesterol per 3-ounce serving.
*	Extra Lean – Less than 5 grams of total fat, 2 grams of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of 
cholesterol per 3-ounce serving. 
During National Nutrition Month and beyond, learn to make wise food choices at the supermarket by 
reading the labels carefully. You can also do this when you eat out. 

SOURCE:  Dr. Evelyn Crayton, Extension Foods and Nutrition Specialist and Registered Dietitian, 
Alabama Cooperative Extension System, (334) 844-2224