Just about every packaged food made in the U.S. has a food label indicating serving size and other nutritional information.

Learning how to read and understand food labels accurately can be daunting and confusing. Yet your health can depend on knowing how to interpret the food label.

Here is what is easy:

• Avoid foods as much as possible that are processed, preserved and have additives.

• Eat more food that is fresh and as natural and organic as possible.

• The values for total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals may not be relevant for you and your individualized needs.

Food to avoid:
1. Sugar
2. High Fructose Corn Syrup
3. White Flour
4. Saturated Fat
5. Hydrogenated Oil

Food to include:
1. Cold pressed Olive Oil
2. Garlic and other herbs
3. Fruits and Vegetables
4. Fresh organic Juice
5. Raw Nuts and Seeds
6. Whole Grains

Just about every packaged food made in the U.S. has a food label indicating serving size and other nutritional information. The “Nutrition Facts” food labels are intended to give you information about the specific packaged food in question. Measurements of fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, protein, vitamins and minerals are calculated for a “typical portion.” But, reading these labels can be confusing. Below are some explanations of its components.

Serving Size.
Serving sizes are based on the amount of food people typically eat. This may or may not be the serving amount you normally eat. It is important that you pay attention to the serving size, including the number of servings in the package and compare it to how much you actually eat. The size of the serving on the food package influences all the nutrient amounts. For example, if a package has 4 servings and you eat the entire package, you quadruple the calories, fat, etc. that you have eaten.

Calories and Calories From Fat.
The calories are the calories per serving. Calories from fat is where you will find the amount of fat per serving.

Nutrients.
This section lists the daily amount of each nutrient in the food package. These daily values are the reference numbers that are set by the government and are based on current nutrition recommendations. Some labels list daily values for both 2,000 and 2,500 calorie diets.

% Daily Value.
Shows how a food fits into a 2,000 calorie/day diet. For diets other than 2,000 calories, divide by 2,000 to determine the % Daily Value for nutrients. For example, if you are following a 1,500 calorie diet, your % Daily Value goal will be based on 75% for each nutrient, not 100%.

For fat.
Saturated fat and cholesterol, choose foods with a low % Daily Value. Many low fat products have added sugar to make up for less fat, so they are not necessarily better for you.

Ingredients.
Each product should list the ingredients on the label. They are listed from largest to smallest amount (by weight). This means a food contains the largest amount of the first ingredient and the smallest amount of the last ingredient.

Label Claim.
Another aspect of food labeling is label claims. Some food labels make claims such as “low cholesterol” or “low fat.” These claims can only be used if a food meets strict government definitions. A good rule of thumb is if you do not know what the ingredient is in the food, do not eat it. Become a educated label reader and appreciate what you are eating besides the food.