How to Read a Nutritional Panel

Don't let the food label trick you! If a label says zero trans fats, don't take that literally. FDA rules let a manufacturer market a food as having no trans fats if it contains less than half a gram per serving. You must read the ingredients list to find the truth.

If it includes "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil," the food has a small amount of trans fat even if the label says zero. The higher up on the list the mention occurs, the more trans fat it has. (Remember that "one serving" may be very small; the amount you actually eat will likely rack up even more fat.)

Sometimes the ingredients label hides trans fats by using words that mask the truth. Look for these things mentioned on the label such as:

• Partially hydrogenated oil, it has trans fats
• Fully hydrogenated oil, it does not have trans fats
• Shortening, it likely has trans fats (may contain partially hydrogenated oil)
• Hydrogenated oil, it possibly has trans fats (it could be the partially hydrogenated type)

The serving size and amount of servings per container is your real key to knowing how many calories and other nutrients are in the foods your family eats. Remember that many packages contain more than one serving and a typical serving is not necessarily the amount you can eat at one time. In general, a food with:

• 40 calories per serving is low in calories
• 100 calories per serving is moderate in calories
• 400 calories or more per serving is high in calories

Carbohydrates are an important source of calories in your diet. There are, however, good and bad carbs that one should be able to distinguish among:

Good Carbs
Instead of foods high in Simple Sugars, you should choose 'starchy foods like whole grain breads and cereals, beans and rice, potatoes, and pasta.' Example of whole grain foods include whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and whole grain cereals. These are healthier than their refined alternative - white bread, white rice, etc.

Bad Carbs
In addition to choosing foods that don't have a lot of sugars in them, you can check the ingredient list to avoid foods with added sugars. If things like corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, dextrose, sucrose, honey, or maple syrup, are listed in the first few ingredients, then the food does have added sugars and you might look for a alternative with less sugar.