Tips To Interpret Nutrition Data

By Philip Smith


During a shopping exercise, many people do not go through the nutrition data provided by the product suppliers. This is because a majority of individuals tend to trust and follow the marketing information usually printed in bold at the front part of a container. Marketing information is not very helpful as the information that a person can rely on is usually located at the back part.

Before placing any item in the shopping cart, go through its product description. A product description will usually help you understand the item you are about to purchase better. It also guarantees that there will be no surprises upon arriving home.

Each item comes with a recommended serving size. The serving size can be translated in terms of spoons or bites taken. For tablespoons, a single table spoon is equivalent to one serving size. Information on serving size is found at the top of a product container.

The number of brands offering similar products continues to increase over time. This is beneficial to the consumer as this will make it easier to compare the dietary requirements available in each brand. By comparing the number of calories available, he or she is able to identify the best brand to use.

Fat and carbohydrates are among the common item used during the manufacture of food items. Any individual looking to lose weight will therefore need to be careful on the amount of carbohydrates that he consumes per day. He or she can easily identify this by looking at the daily percent value that has been recommended.

Many people have to count the amount of carbohydrates that they take in each day. When counting, all grams associated with fiber products must be subtracted from the carbohydrates available. This is the universally recommended formula for counting carbohydrates.

Shopping no longer needs to be a stressful exercise. For repeat shoppers, the exercise can be simplified by sticking to a particular brand that is known to have good dietary items. This will however require that the shopper be very careful during the initial screening stages.

Individuals can locate nutrition data through the use of the internet. There are very many blogs and websites providing access to this type of information. It is however important to be careful when following any advice as not all web related sources can be trusted. Ensure any information you are about to use has come from a trustworthy source.




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