In a study from the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, researchers used technology known as eye-tracking to evaluate how study participants looked at nutrition facts labels on food products. The experiment was designed to simulate a trip to the grocery store, recruiting 203 people (mostly women) from Minnesota, to look at packaging for various food items on the computer. The eye-tracking technology on the computer allowed researchers to evaluate which packaging information the participants looked at, including nutrition facts, pricing and a description of the item. All participants filled out a questionnaire ahead of time, indicating the items they usually look at when examining a nutrition label. One third of people reported that they usually look at calorie and fat content of food labels while one quarter of participants reported they usually look at sugar content and serving size.
Interestingly, despite what participants reported, the eye-tracking software revealed that only 9% of study participants actually looked at calorie content and far fewer people looked at any other information on the nutrition label. In addition, the study suggests that consumers are more likely to look at nutrition information that is placed centrally on packaging, and not on the sides of containers where it is usually located.
I can’t say that I’m terribly surprised by these findings. Let’s face it, nutrition labels are often confusing and hard to navigate. Sure, we’re all familiar with the basic components but what exactly are we supposed to be looking for anyways? When it comes to picking a “healthy” product or eliminating another because it lacks good nutrition, what should we base our ultimate decision on? There are a few things to consider. See the information below for a basic “how to” guide for navigating the nutrition facts label.
Serving Size/Servings per Container: The size of one serving and how many actual servings are present in the package. The information on the label will refer to one serving only. If you eat the entire package, you will need to multiply the information on the other lines by the number of servings per container.
Calories/Calories from Fat: The amount of calories in one serving of the labeled food (in this case, 170). In this example, 110 calories are Calories from Fat. That means that almost two thirds of the calories in this product are from fat. Generally, it is best to look for items that have only one third of the total calories coming from fat. If you choose a higher fat item (like this one), aim to make your other choices in the day lower fat.
Total Fat: The sum of different fats included in one serving of the item. The corresponding % Daily Value (17%) tells you that this product contains 17% of the recommended daily total fat intake and 8% of the saturated fat intake of a 2,000 calorie diet. Generally, 20% fat is considered “high” and 5% fat is considered “low.” Look for products with less than 3g of Saturated Fat per serving (total 10-15g per day) and 0g of Trans Fat.
Cholesterol: The recommended daily limit is less than 300 milligrams. That means that this product does not contribute anything to the daily limit (based on a 2,000 calorie/day diet). Aim to find products with as little cholesterol as possible.
Sodium: The recommended daily limit is less than 2300 milligrams which is approximately equal to 1 tsp of table salt. Look for products with 240 mg or less per serving OR 500 mg per meal.
Dietary Fiber: The recommended daily goal for fiber intake for adults is 25- 30 grams. Kids’ needs are roughly their age + 5 grams. Look for products with at least 3g of fiber per serving.
Sugars: There is no recommended limit (or goal) for sugar intake. In this product there are zero grams of sugar. In comparison, many sweetened beverages have 30-40 grams per serving. Sugars do occur naturally in products so the best way to determine whether a product has lots of added sugar is to read the list of ingredients. If words like sugar, honey, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, maltose or dextrose are listed, sugar has been added. If any of these products appear near the top of the list, a lot of sugar has been added.
Protein- there is no recommended limit (or goal) for protein intake. Most Americans get more than enough protein in their daily diet. Adults following a vegetarian diet may not get enough protein and should aim for 50 grams of protein per day. Childrens’ needs will vary by age, so check our “Just the Basics” section for specific recommendations.
