Sports Nutrition - Nutrition Label
For more details on sports nutrition, training and motivation, visit http://visportsnutrition.ca<br /><br />In buying foods, it is important to understand how to read a nutrition label and the ingredients list. The terms used in the ingredients list that many food manufacturers use can be deceiving and can give the impression that their brands are healthy. Many food manufacturers have resorted to using "healthy looking" packaging as well as tricky terms like "no sugar added" or "reduced calorie" to fool consumers into believing that an item is healthy. <br />The nutrition label cannot be faked. By law, the ingredients must be accurately listed and the nutrition label must reflect the actual contents. The previous diagram indicates the sections required.<br />Servings size -- this section indicates the size of one serving and the number of servings in the container. The remainder of the label will be based on ONE serving. If you eat 3 servings, multiply all values by 3.<br />Calorie information -- the number of total calories is listed as well as the calories from fat that are included in the overall amount. The calories from fat in a normal diet should not exceed 20% so this is a useful value to have.<br />Nutrients -- the nutrient list is important for those who are required to limit one of more of them due to a special diet or medical condition. Saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugar should be limited to avoid gaining weight and causing health issues from over-consuming them.<br />Vitamins/Minerals -- the name says it all. A complete list of vitamins and minerals is given with their RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) as a percentage of the total amount needed per day. More than 100% is not always good.<br />Foot Note -- This is a summary of the daily values for a 2000 and a 2500 calorie diet.