Nutrition Facts Label

101
A Lesson for 6th Grade Students

What is A Food Label?

The Nutrition Facts Label is on every package or

container
Similar to a Table of Contents in a book

Why are food labels helpful?

Tells you what is inside the food or beverage

Helps us know what we are eating
Beneficial in keeping us healthy

Made up of many parts - often confusing

So where do you begin??

Step 1: Serving Size

Sets the standard for the remainder of the label

Helps you know how much you are supposed to eat
Uses measuring units such as cups or pieces
Provides the weight of the serving size (grams)

Activity #1

Servings Per Container

Tells you how many total servings are in the

container or package

How many total cups are in this food item?

Step 2: Calories & Calories from Fat

What is a calorie? It is a unit of measurement!

Describes how much energy your body can get

Carbohydrates, protein and fat produce different amounts

of energy
1 g of Carbohydrates = 4 calories
1 g of Protein = 4 calories
1 g of Fat = 9 calories

Guide to calories/serving

Low: 40 calories
Moderate: 100 calories
High: 400 calories

Calories & Calories from Fat

Calories from fat refers to the number of

calories in a serving coming from fat

(Calories) - (Calories from fat) = Number of calories not from

fat

How Many of the Calories Do Not Come From Fat?

Step 3: Percent Daily Value (%DV)

Guide to how much of a certain nutrient a person

needs in a given day
Recommendations for a 2,000 calorie diet - you
might need more or less
Example: One serving contains 22% of total fat for
the day

What If A Person Had 2 Servings?

What is the % Daily Value of Total Fat, Now?

Percent Daily Value (%DV)

Know the Highs and Lows of %DV

High %DV: 20%
Low %DV: 5%
We want High %DV for Vitamins, Minerals, &
Fiber
We want Low %DV for Total Fat, Saturated Fat,
Cholesterol and Sodium

According to the %DV, Do You Think this Food Item

is Very Nutritious? Why or Why not?

Step 4: Nutrients

Nutrients are what your body needs to grow and

maintain your health
There are many more nutrients than just what is
on the Food Label
Separated by Limit and Consume More

Which Nutrients Do You believe Should be limited?

Which Nutrients Should be Consumed More Often?

Total Fat

Fat is an important nutrient in our diet! (*The right

kind)

Keeps our brain and nervous system healthy, helps us

grow and absorb certain vitamins

Different types of fat

Unsaturated - Keeps our hearts healthy!

Saturated - Limit these as it can raise our blood

cholesterol and increase risks for heart disease.

Trans - Definitely limit these! Look for words such as

hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated

Add them to make Total Fat

Cholesterol & Sodium

Cholesterol

Type of fat needed in your blood to keep your

organs healthy
Two types: HDL and LDL
Your body makes cholesterol in your liver

You can also get cholesterol from foods you eat

such as meats, cheese, eggs, butter, fish, and milk

Too much of LDL can be a problem because it can

clog your arteries preventing blood from flowing
through.

Cholesterol & Sodium

Sodium

Important for maintaining fluid balance in your body,

regulating blood pressure and blood volume, and
keeping your muscles and nerves working properly.

Americans usually consume more than recommended

amount
< 2,300 mg
Too much can raise blood pressure and lead to
hypertension

Total Carbohydrates

Three types of Carbohydrates: Add them together!

Sugars
Starches
Dietary Fiber

Sugars

Naturally in food (nutritious) or it can be added (limit)

Names for added sugars: corn syrup, high-fructose corn

syrup, maltose, dextrose, sucrose, honey, maple syrup, fruit

juice concentrate and others!
4 g of sugar = 1 teaspoon
New nutrition food label

How many Teaspoons are in this food item?

Total Carbohydrates

Dietary Fiber

Found in plant sources such as vegetables, fruits, grains

Indigestible
Can help lower blood sugars and blood cholesterol
Promotes a healthy digestive system
Makes you feel fuller for a longer period of time
A diet high in fiber reduces risks of chronic disease

What Foods are High in Fiber?

Protein

Important nutrient for building and

repairing of tissues
Building blocks of skin, hair, cartilage,
bones, muscle and blood
Animal and plant sources
No Percent Daily Value

American diet is abundant in protein

Can you name any plant sources of Protein?

Vitamin A & Vitamin C

Vitamin A

Fat-soluble vitamin

Necessary for healthy vision - especially seeing colors and

night vision
Helps keep you healthy by fighting off infections
What foods are rich in Vitamin A?

Vitamin C

Water-soluble vitamin

Helps our wounds heal and keeps our bones, gums and
immune system healthy by resisting infection.
What foods are rich in Vitamin C?

Calcium & Iron

Calcium

Important role in nerve, muscle and bone health

As we age, calcium in our bones depletes (and more so in

women) increasing the risk of bone fractures
Which foods contain calcium?

Iron

Important in formation of our red blood cells

Iron deficiency is a risk
Fortified foods

What foods naturally contain iron? What foods are fortified

with iron?

Footnote

Never changes!
States the % Daily Value is based on 2,000
calorie diet

Gives the recommendations for nutrients

Remember, You may Need more or Less!

Step 5: Ingredients List

Listed according to weight

Aim for foods/beverages:

Lower in number of ingredients

No added sugar in first five

ingredients

What Are the First Five Ingredients of This Food Item?

Activity
Compare the Different Milks based
on:

Serving Size
Calories per serving
Calories from Fat
Total Fat
Cholesterol
Sugars
Protein
Vitamin A
Calcium

Nutrition Facts Recap

Many different parts!

Step 1: Serving Size
Step 2: Calories & Calories from
Fat
Step 3: % Daily Value

Helps us know what we are

eating
Beneficial in keeping us
healthy

High & Low %DV

Step 4: Nutrients

Limit & Increase

Healthy Fats
Vitamins and Minerals

Step 5: Ingredients

Creating good habits now can

help you stay healthy later!

Questions???

References
http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/labels.html#
http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/nutrition/nutrition-facts-and-food-labels/the-basics-of-the-nutrition-facts-panel
http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm274593.htm
https://www.google.com/url?
sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjSvaCcotLMAhVILSYKHRyLBrEQjRwIBw&url=http%
3A%2F%2Fblogs.longwood.edu%2Falaimo400%2F&bvm=bv.121658157,d.
eWE&psig=AFQjCNFPTnMYf1mU6SZU8UIk33PGp89f2A&ust=1463064500771099
http://naitc-api.usu.edu/media/uploads/milk_labels.png
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u8WP5pchI8o/Tq2zvTe8x5I/AAAAAAAAD4g/P1EaN0ngqt8/s1600/Ingredients.png
http://kidshealth.org