Nutrition information on food labels

Core Unit

Nutrition information on food labels

What is new?

What does it mean?

How do you use it?

#1

What is different at the grocery store?

Before

• only some foods had nutrition labelling

• the nutrition information looked different on different products

• each label had different amounts of information

• optional nutrition claims could be made

After

• most foods have Nutrition Facts

• standard format so that it looks the same on all products

• more complete information that is easy to find and read

• claims can also be made about a diet-disease relationship

#S1a

Nutrition information on food labels

#2

#3

Nutrition Facts: Easy to find, easy to read and on more foods

Standard Format

#S3a

Nutrition Facts: Easy to find, easy to read and on more foods

Horizontal Format

Linear Format

#S3b

What food products have Nutrition Facts?Almost all prepackaged foods have Nutrition Facts

some exceptions:

• fresh fruit and vegetables

• raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood

• foods prepared or processed at the store

bakery items, sausage, salads

• foods that contain very few nutrients

coffee beans, tea leaves, spices

• alcoholic beverages#4

Are foods with a Nutrition Facts table better?

Many foods are important for healthy eating, including

• Grain Products (breads, cereal, rice, pasta)•

Vegetables and Fruit

• Milk Products (milk, cheese, yogurt)

• Meat and Alternatives (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes)

Some are served in restaurants.

Some are grown in your garden.

#S4a

Use Nutrition Facts to make informed food choices

• to help you choose foods that meet your needs

• to easily compare similar foods

• to look for foods with more or less of a specific nutrient

• to select foods for special diets

#5

Use Nutrition Facts to make informed food choices Compare similar foods so that you can choose the

healthier one

Product 1

#S5a

Product 2

Use Nutrition Facts to make informed food choices Compare similar foods to find one that has more iron

Ziti Cut Pasta Penne Rigate

#S5b

Nutrition Facts: ACTIVITYWhich yogurt has less fat or more calcium?

Blueberry Yogurt 2.5 % M.F. Low fat Blueberry Yogurt

#A5a

Nutrition Facts ACTIVITYWhich cookie would be a better choice?

#A5b

Serving size

• the specific amount of food listed under the “Nutrition Facts” title

• all nutrient information is based on this amount of food

• listed in common measures you use at home

#6

Serving Size ACTIVITY

Light Tuna 170 g in water (120 g drained

weight)

• You make two tuna sandwiches from this can.

• How many Calories will you get from the tuna in two sandwiches?

#A6a

Nutrition Facts are based on a specific amount of food

Compare this to the amount you eat and Canada’s Food Guide

Example: Breakfast Cereal

Food Label bran cereal with raisins1 cup (59 g)

Food Guide30 g

At home1 ½ cups bran cereal with raisins

#7

Nutrition Facts are based on a specific amount of food. Compare this to the amount you eat

Label1 single serving bottle of orange juice

(350 mL)

At home1 glass of orange juice

#S7a

Nutrition Facts are based on a specific amount of food. Compare this to the amount you eat

Label1 single serving package of peanuts

(75 g)

At home2 – 3 handfuls of peanuts

#S7b

Nutrition Facts are based on a specific amount of food. Compare this to the amount you eat

Label1 single serving package of peanuts

(75 g)

At home2 – 3 handfuls of peanuts

#S7b

Nutrition Facts are based on a specific amount of food. Compare this to the amount you eat

Label (1 cup dry (88 g))2 cups of cooked pasta

At home or at a restaurantPasta – side dish or main meal?

#S7c

% Daily Value

• can make it easier to compare foods

• helps you see if a food has a lot or a little of a nutrient

• provides a context to the actual amount of a nutrient

#8

ACTIVITYBirthday cake for your uncle

#A8a

Use % Daily Value to see if a food has a lot or a little of a nutrient

The actual numbers can be confusing, for example:

• 2 mg of iron seems small but it is 15 % of the Daily Value for iron

• 110 mg of sodium seems large but it is only 5 % of the Daily Value for sodium

% Daily Value makes it easy to see if there is a lot or a little of a

nutrient without having to do any math.

#9

Use Nutrition Facts to make informed food choices

• Increasing or decreasing a specific nutrient...

• Choosing between two similar products...

#10

Use Nutrition Facts to make informed food choices Compare similar foods to find the one that has les fat

and saturated fat

Steak Dinner Lasagna with Lean Meat

#S10a

% Daily Value ACTIVITYWhich product is the better source of iron?

Sirloin Burgers Chicken Burgers

#A10a

% Daily Value ACTIVITYCompare fat in three different snack foods

Cheese-flavour Popcorn

Tortilla Chips Pretzels

#A10b

List of ingredients

• all of the ingredients for a food are listed by weight, from the most to the least (the ingredient that is in the largest amount is listed first)

• is present on prepackaged foods

• is a source of allergy information

• is a source of certain nutrient information

#11

Nutrition Facts / List of Ingredients ACTIVITY

Frozen Peaches and Cream Corn Whole Kernel Corn (canned)

Ingredients: whole kernel corn Ingredients: corn, water, salt for taste

#A11a

Nutrition claims

They are:

• regulated statements made when a food meets certain criteria

• optional, so may be found only on some food products

• often on the front of food packages

• a quick and easy way to get information about a food

#12

Nutrition claims

When you want to decrease the amount of certain nutrients...

Free• none or hardly any of this nutrient• an example is “sodium free”

Low• a small amount• an example is “low fat”

Reduced• at least 25% less of the nutrient than a similar product• an example is “reduced in Calories”

Light• can be used on foods that are reduced in fat or

reduced in Calories

#13

Nutrition Facts / List of Ingredients ACTIVITYWhich is lower in fat?

#A13a

Regular Potato Chips Low Fat Potato Chips

Nutrition claims

When you want to increase the amount of certain nutrients...

Source• contains a useful amount of the nutrient • an example is “source of fibre”

High or good source

• contains a high amount of the nutrient• an example is “high in vitamin C”

Very high or excellent source

• contains a very high amount of the nutrient• an example is “excellent source of calcium”

#14

Nutrition Claims ACTIVITYWhich one is the better source of fibre?

Product #1 Product #2

Low in Fat

CholesterolFree

A source ofDietary fibre

40% less fat than our original crackers

#A14a

Nutrition Claims ACTIVITY

The following two claims were listed on similar products.What is the difference?

Reduced in fat Cholesterol free

#A14b

Nutrition claims

“A healthy diet low in saturated and trans fats may reduce the risk of heart disease. (Naming the food) is

free of saturated and trans fats.”

#15

Use nutrition claims to make informed food choices

“A healthy diet rich in a variety of vegetables and fruit may help reduce the risk of some types of cancer.”

#S15a

Use nutrition claims to make informed food choices

“A healthy diet containing foods high in potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood

pressure, a risk factor for stroke and heart disease. (Naming the food) is low in sodium.”

#S15b

Use nutrition claims to make informed food choices

“A healthy diet with adequate calcium and vitamin D, and regular physical activity, help to achieve strong

bones and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis. (Naming the food) is a good source of calcium.”

#S15c

Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating

#16

Nutrition labelling: a tool to support healthy eating

Food Guide MessageEnjoy a variety of foods from each group every day

Label Information• check your grocery cart to

ensure foods from all the food groups are included – with and without labels

Choose lower fat foods more often

• Nutrition Facts - % DV• Nutrition claims such as “lower

in fat”

#17

Nutrition labelling: a tool to support healthy eating

Food Guide MessageChoose whole grains and enriched products more often

Label Information• List of ingredients• Nutrition Facts• Nutrition claims

Choose dark green or orange vegetables and orange fruit more often

• List of ingredients• Nutrition Facts

#18

Nutrition labelling: a tool to support healthy eating

Food Guide MessageChoose lower fat milk products more often

Label Information• Nutrition claims• Nutrition Facts• List of ingredients

Choose leaner meats, poultry and fish, as well as dried peas, beans and lentils more often

• Nutrition claims• Nutrition Facts• List of ingredients

#19

Healthy Eating ACTIVITYChoose lower fat milk products more often

Partly Skimmed Milk 1% M.F. Homogenized Milk 3.25% M.F.

#A19a

Healthy Eating ACTIVITYChoose leaner meats, poultry and fish, as well as

dried peas, beans and lentils more often

Product #1Frozen marinated chicken breasts

Product #2Frozen breaded chicken breast strips

#A19b

A healthy you!

Enjoy eating well, being active and

feeling good about yourself.

#20

Choose a variety of food for healthy eating

#S20a

A tool to support healthy eating

Helps you choose foods#S20b