Food Labels and Nutrients

Reading food labels can help you control the nutrients that you and your
family eat. Use this chart to understand some of the nutrients that are in
the foods you eat each day. Remember, a varied and balanced diet is the
best way to get enough (but not too much) of each nutrient.

Nutrient            What is it and why is it important?                                  How much?
                     
Calories            A unit of measure, like an inch or a pound.                     Depends on your age.
                        Calories measure the amount of energy your                   and activity level 
                        body gets from food. Your body needs energy 
                        to be physically active, grow and function. 
                        Carbohydrates, fat and protein provide 
                        the energy from food.


Fat                   Your body uses fat as a                                                 Very little.
                        concentrated energy source and to
                        help transport some vitamins.
                        However, too much fat of any kind
                        can contribute to weight gain and
                        can increase your risk of diabetes
                        and high blood pressure.

Saturated         This is a kind of fat that is not                                         Very little.
Fat                   good for you. It can cause an
                        increase in cholesterol levels. It
                        includes animal fats such as
                        butterfat, lard, and coconut and
                        palm oils.

Unsaturated      This kind of fat is healthier than                                      Very little.
Fat                   saturated fat and is recommended
                        for cooking. It includes
                        sunflower, safflower, corn and
                        soybean oils.

Cholesterol       A fatty substance in the blood                                       Very little
                        that tends to build up on the
                        walls of the blood vessels. Over
                        time, too much of this can cause
                        high blood pressure and
                        cardiovascular disease.

Sodium            Your body needs a small amount of                              Very little.
                        sodium to maintain the balance of
                        fluids in the body. Too much
                        sodium in the blood can lead to
                        high blood pressure and
                        cardiovascular disease.

Carbohydrates These are the main source of                                        6 -11 servings per day.
                       energy for your body.             
                       Carbohydrates are sugars and
                       starches. Starches, such as
                       breads, cereals and pasta, are
                       called complex carbohydrates.

Sugar            Sugars are a kind of carbohydrate.                                 Very little.
                     Sugar can give you energy, but too
                     much sugar in the diet can cause
                     tooth decay and weight gain. Any
                     food that lists sucrose, fructose,
                     glucose, corn syrup, or honey as
                     the first ingredient, is mainly
                     sugar. One teaspoon of sugar has
                     about 16 calories.

Fiber           A form of carbohydrate that helps                                    A lot!
                   your digestive tract to work.
                   Fiber helps to relieve
                   constipation, lower cholesterol,
                   and decrease the risk of some
                   types of cancer. Fiber is found in
                   bran products, berries, green
                   leafy vegetables, squash, guava,
                   and many dried fruits.

Protein        Your body needs protein to grow                                  2 -3 servings per day.
                   and repair itself. Protein can   
                   give you energy. It is found in
                   beans, eggs, soy products, tofu,
                   meat, fish, poultry and milk products

In addition to the nutrients listed above, we all need vitamins and
minerals to help our bodies stay healthy. Here is a list of some of the
most important ones.


Nutrient        Why Is It Important?            Foods That Contain It

Iron          Your body needs iron to          Beans (kidney, pinto,
                produce hemoglobin.                lentils), raisins, prunes,
                Hemoglobin is a substance       apricots, potatoes, beef,
                that helps carry oxygen to        turkey, pork, chicken, tuna,
                the blood, which is needed      egg yolks, corn & flour
                for the body to function and     tortillas, tofu, molasses.
                grow. Iron helps protect
                your child from lead
                poisoning.

Calcium   Your body needs calcium to    Milk products, citrus fruits,
                develop strong bones and       corn tortillas, dark green
                teeth. It also helps your           leafy vegetables, pinto &
                muscles work, and helps         refried beans, almonds,
                blood to clot.                          berries, salmon.

Folic Acid  Your body needs folic acid   Citrus fruits, green leafy
                 for healthy growth. It can       vegetables, broccoli, beets,
                 also reduce the risk of           dried beans and peas, most
                 heart disease and stroke. It    berries, whole grains.
                 is very important for women
                 who plan to have children to
                 get enough folic acid
                 because it can help prevent
                 some birth defects.

Vitamin A  Your body needs Vitamin A to  Dark green vegetables,
(carotene)  grow and repair itself, and         apricots, peaches,
                 to form healthy bones, skin        nectarines, carrots, squash
                 and hair. It may also
                 decrease your risk of lung
                 cancer and heart disease.

Vitamin C Your body needs Vitamin C to   Citrus fruits, berries,
                absorb iron, maintain                   tomatoes, chiles, red
                healthy cholesterol levels,            peppers, cantaloupe, papaya,
                help heal wounds and resist         mangoes, potatoes,
                infections. Vitamin C also            cauliflower, broccoli,
                helps protect your child               greens.
                from lead poisoning.