Ask an RD: How to Read a Food Label Like an Expert

Written by CONTRAVE Care Team | Apr 4, 2024 4:35:14 PM

Nutrition labels on food contain a lot of (very useful) information, especially for someone on a weight loss journey. But did you know they weren’t always there?

It wasn’t until the 1990s that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) started mandating standardized nutritional information on packaged foods. Let’s just say a lot went into deciding what needed to be included and how… and it can make reading a food label today a bit overwhelming.

We asked our current RD-in-residence, Erin Utz, RD/RDN, to give us some insider tips on what she tells her patients to look for when reading food labels.

Tip #1: Do Not Be Distracted By the Flashy Front
It’s in the food brand’s best interest to have the front of their product be bright and eye-catching, maybe even throwing in a few health-related claims in big letters on there. Utz says to ignore that and head to the back of the packaging, where the good stuff is: the nutrition label.

Tip #2: Confirm the Serving Size
At the top of the food label is the suggested serving size. But is it your serving size? Maybe not, and that can make a huge difference in the amount of calories and macronutrients you consume. “If a serving of something has 200 calories and 5g of fat but you would normally eat two servings of it, you must double the calories and fat,” says Utz. “This is how it can be easy to eat too many calories without realizing it.

Example labels from U.S. National Insitute of Health.

Some food packages have special versions of the label that include the nutritional information for the entire package, in addition to a serving size. These tend to be foods that people could consume in a single serving—think a pint of ice cream—and could be something to watch out for if you struggle with overeating.

Tips #3: Demystify the Daily Percentages
You don’t need to whip out your phone’s calculator to understand the percentages listed on the right side of the nutrition label. First off, they won’t add up to 100%. These are the percentages of the daily value (DV) of specific nutrients—aka how much of a nutrient this food item contains compared proportionally with the recommended daily amount. For example, a food label may list 10g of fat, or 10% DV.

“You can use this to learn how much of certain nutrients is recommended,” says Utz. “But that can get complicated. I tell my patients to use 5% and 20% DV as benchmarks.”

Look for 5% or less of the nutrients you want to get LESS of
- These include saturated fat, added sugar, and sodium (too much of these can contribute to health issues, such as high blood pressure or cholesterol)

Look for 20% or more of the nutrients you want to get MORE of
- These include dietary fiber, Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium (people don’t tend to get enough of these nutrients)

It’s important to talk to your RD or healthcare provider about any additional nutritional considerations specific to you.

Tip #4: Use the Rule of 5
When you’re pressed for time at the grocery store, you don’t always have the time to dive into the full ingredients and nutrition label for everything you pick up. In this case, Utz recommends using the Rule of 5. “If a food item has <5 ingredients, <5 g added sugar, and >5 g fiber,” she explains, “it’s most likely a smart pick.”

She adds that it’s important to talk to your RD or healthcare provider to establish your nutrition needs. They can help you create a personalized list of ingredients to prioritize or avoid.

Tip #5: No Label Is the Best Label of All
Last but not least, our RD-in-residence notes it’s often the healthiest foods, like fruits, veggies, and other whole foods, that don’t contain nutrition labels. Balancing out these types of nutritious foods with packaged food items (selected with the above tips) will help you get a complete diet while on your weight loss journey!

Erin Utz is a paid consultant for Currax Pharmaceuticals.

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