Proper nutrition is important for people of all ages, and there is a great
emphasis on eating right and maintaining a healthy weight. Through the efforts
of governmental agencies, food manufacturers are now required to include
nutrition information on all consumable products they sell, so that they public
knows exactly what they are putting into their bodies. In addition to calories,
fat grams, carbohydrates, fiber, and protein content, manufacturers are required
to include percentages of vitamin and mineral content, and recommended daily
allowances met in each serving in the nutrition information listed on the
package. It’s also good to know what ingredients are used; this is why reading
the nutrition information is so important.
To make nutrition information easier to understand, the food pyramid was
developed by the United States Department of Agriculture to make nutrition
easier to understand by showing how much of what types of foods should be
eaten in the diet. At the top of the pyramid, or the smallest part, you have
oils. Foods in this category contain fats, like butter, cooking oils, salad
dressings, etc. and should be used sparingly. The next level moving down the
pyramid contains two groups: meats, nuts, eggs, and beans, and dairy
products, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt. Both groups should be limited to
2-3 servings per day. The third level contains fruits and vegetables, which
is where the saying “five a day” comes in. The bottom is the largest level
of the food pyramid and contains the largest number of servings, at 6-11 per
day of pastas, cereals, breads, and grains. This is great nutrition
information that everyone should know and understand.
Nutrition information also contains tips on how to get all the recommended
daily allowances from your diet to warrant off vitamin deficiencies, which
can lead to poor immune system function and contribute to other health
conditions. Taking a multi-vitamin supplement daily is recommenced to people
who may not be getting an adequate amount of vitamins through their diet.
Nutrition information is listed on every bottle so you can see exactly how
much of each vitamin and mineral are in the supplement, which is important
to ensure you are getting enough of each, and not exceeding daily intake
limits.
Everyone needs to read the nutrition information on everything that they put
in their bodies, be aware of their health, and maintain a healthy weight.
There are some things that we will never eat again after we read the
nutrition information! Scary isn’t it?
