LABEL READING
The Ingredient List -- Did you Know?
• Almost all pre-packaged foods must include a list of ingredients.
• Ingredients in a food are listed on the food label by weight
from most to least (the ingredient that is in the largest amount is listed
first).
• The ingredient list is a source of information for people with
allergies or people who want to avoid certain ingredients or verify the presence
of an ingredient in a food.
• You can use the ingredient list together with the new Nutrition
Facts table, which has already started to appear on many food labels,
to get a ‘nutritional overview' of the food. Nutrition Facts list
the Calories and the amount of fat, saturated and trans fats, cholesterol,
sodium, carbohydrate, fibre, sugars, protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins
A and C in a specific amount of food.
• Making healthy food choices can help reduce your risk of nutrition-related
chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Checking the
ingredient list and the Nutrition Facts table can
help you select the foods to meet your needs.
A Tour of the Nutrition Facts Table
A. All of the information on the Nutrition
Facts is based on a specific amount of food – always compare
it to the amount you eat.
B. Nutrition Facts lists the Calories
and 13 core nutrients. Additional nutrients may be listed on some labels.
C. The % Daily Value tells you if there is a lot or a little of
a nutrient in the specified amount of food. % Daily Values are based on recommendations
for a healthy diet.
D. These numbers give the quantity of each nutrient in the specified
amount of food. The quantity is listed even of it is zero.
Source: Health Canada : www.healthcanada.gc.ca/nutritionlabelling