Check the Ingredient List

Low is 5 percent or less. Aim low in saturated fat,

trans fat, cholesterol and sodium.
High is 20 percent or more. Aim high in vitamins,
minerals and fiber.
Limit Saturated Fat, Added Sugars and Sodium
Eating less saturated fat, added sugars and sodium
may help reduce your risk for chronic disease.
Saturated fat and trans fat are linked to an increased
risk of heart disease.
Eating too much added sugar makes it difficult to
meet nutrient needs within your calorie requirement.
High levels of sodium can add up to high blood
pressure.
Remember to aim for low percentage DV of these
nutrients.

Foods with more than one ingredient must have an

ingredient list on the label. Ingredients are listed in
descending order by weight. Those in the largest
amounts are listed first. This information is
particularly helpful to individuals with food
sensitivities, those who wish to avoid pork or
shellfish, limit added sugars or people who prefer
vegetarian eating.
Therearesevenmajorclassesofnutrients:carbohydrates,fats,
fiber,minerals,protein,vitamins,andwater.

Carbohydratesourmainsourceofenergy.

Fatsonesourceofenergyandimportantinrelationto

fatsolublevitamins.

Get Enough Vitamins, Minerals and Fiber

Eat more fiber, potassium, vitamin D, calcium and

iron to maintain good health and help reduce your
risk of certain health problems such as osteoporosis
and anemia.

ourdietessentialtohealthofthedigestivesystem.

Choose more fruits and vegetables to get more of

these nutrients.

Roughage(Fiber)thefibrousindigestibleportionof

Mineralsthoseinorganicelementsoccurringinthe

bodyandwhicharecriticaltoitsnormalfunctions.

Proteinsessentialtogrowthandrepairofmuscleand

Remember to aim high for percentage DV of these

nutrients.

otherbodytissues.

Additional Nutrients

You know about calories, but it is important to also

know the additional nutrients on the Nutrition Facts
Panel.

importantrolesinmanychemicalprocessesinthebody.

Protein

forcarryingothernutrientsandbecause60%ofthehumanbodyis

A percentage Daily Value for protein is not required

on the label. Eat moderate portions of lean meat,
poultry, fish, eggs, low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese,
plus beans and peas, peanut butter, seeds and soy
products.

water.

Carbohydrates

smallerquantities).Themacronutrientsarecarbohydrates,fats,

There are three types of carbohydrates: sugars,

starches and fiber. Eat whole-grain breads, cereals,
rice and pasta plus fruits and vegetables.
Sugars
Simple carbohydrates, or sugars, occur naturally in
foods such as fruit juice (fructose) or come from
refined sources such as table sugar (sucrose) or corn
syrup. Added sugars will be included on the Nutrition
Facts label in 2018. The 2015-2020 Dietary
Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming no
more than 10 percent of daily calories from added
sugars.

Vitaminswaterandfatsolublevitaminsplay

Wateressentialtonormalbodyfunctionasavehicle

Thesenutrientclassescanbecategorizedaseithermacronutrients
(neededinrelativelylargeamounts)ormicronutrients(neededin

fiber,proteins,andwater.Themicronutrientsaremineralsand
vitamins.
Themacronutrients(excludingfiberandwater)provideenergy,
whichismeasuredinJoulesorkilocalories(oftenjustcalled
Calories).Carbohydratesandproteinsprovide17kJ(4kcal)of
energypergram,whilefatsprovide37kJ(9kcal)pergram.
Vitamins,minerals,fiber,andwaterdonotprovideenergy,butare
necessaryforotherreasons.

Thehumanbodycontainschemicalcompounds,suchaswater,
carbohydrates(sugar,starch,andfiber),aminoacids(inproteins),
fattyacids(inlipids),andnucleicacids(DNAandRNA).These
compoundsinturnconsistofelementssuchascarbon,hydrogen,
oxygen,nitrogen,phosphorus,calcium,iron,zinc,magnesium,
manganese,andsoon.Allofthesechemicalcompoundsand
elementsoccurinvariousformsandcombinations(e.g.hormones,
vitamins,phospholipids,hydroxyapatite),bothinthehumanbody
andintheplantandanimalorganismsthathumanseat.
Waterisoneofthemostimportantnutrientsinyourdiet.Ithelps
eliminatefoodwasteproductsinyourbody,regulatesbody
temperatureduringactivity,andhelpsdigestfood.
Mostfattyacidsarenonessential,meaningthebodycanproduce
themasneeded.However,inhumansatleasttwofattyacidsare
essentialandmustbeincludedinthediet.Anappropriatebalance
ofessentialfattyacids,omega3andomega6fattyacids,is
importantforhealth.Bothofthese"omega"longchain
polyunsaturatedfattyacidsaresubstratesforaclassofeicosanoids
knownasprostaglandins,whichhaverolesthroughoutthehuman
body.
Agrowingareaofinterestistheeffectuponhumanhealthoftrace
chemicals,collectivelycalledphytochemicals.Thesenutrientsare
typicallyfoundinedibleplants,especiallycolorfulfruitsand
vegetables,butalsootherorganismsincludingseafood,algae,and
fungi.Theeffectsofphytochemicalsincreasinglysurviverigorous
testingbyprominenthealthorganizations.Oneoftheprincipal
classesofphytochemicalsarepolyphenolantioxidants,chemicals
whichareknowntoprovidecertainhealthbenefitstothe
cardiovascularsystemandimmunesystem.Thesechemicalsare
knowntodownregulatetheformationofreactiveoxygenspecies,
keychemicalsincardiovasculardisease.
Eating vegetables and fruits rich in potassium as part
of an overall healthy diet may lower blood pressure,
and may also reduce the risk of developing kidney
stones and help to decrease bone loss.
Fruits compose of many anti-oxidants such as polyphenolic flavonoids, vitamin-C, and anthocyanins.
Vegetable sources of potassium include sweet
potatoes, white potatoes, white beans, tomato
products (paste, sauce, and juice), beet greens,
soybeans, lima beans, spinach, lentils, and kidney
beans.

Consumption of some dry fruits daily enhances the

overall bioavailability of nutrients.
Fruits provide nutrients vital for health and
maintenance of your body.
Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients,
including potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid),
vitamin A, and vitamin C.
Research studies suggest that one may eat any
servings of fruits daily. It is recommended to eat at
least 2-3 servings of fresh fruits every day.
Dietary fiber from vegetables helps reduce blood
cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart
disease.
People who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of
an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced
risk of some chronic diseases.
Most vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories.
None have cholesterol. (Sauces or seasonings may
add fat, calories, or cholesterol.)
Eating a diet rich in some vegetables and fruits as
part of an overall healthy diet may protect against
certain types of cancers.
Onions are high in vitamin C, a good source of fiber,
and with only 45 calories per serving, add abundant
flavor to a wide variety of food.
Vegetables, like fruits, are low in calories and fats but
contain good amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, and
calories. None have cholesterol.
As in fruits, vegetables too are home for many
antioxidants.
Eating foods such as fruits that are lower in calories
per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food
may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake.
Fruit's health benefiting properties are because of
their richness in vitamins, minerals, micro-nutrients,
pigment anti-oxidants.
Dietary fiber from fruits, as part of an overall healthy
diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may
lower risk of heart disease.
Eat at least 5-7 servings of fresh vegetables every
day.

Energy
Foods provide us with energy in the form of calories
(Kcal).
Calories effectively act as the fuel that powers our
bodies and enables us to function, in the same way
that petrol fuels a car.

Some foods provide us with more energy than others,

but by eating a wide variety of foods in the correct
balance we can meet our requirements.

At present the average intake of fibre in the UK is

14g/day in adults. Experts recommend that fibre
intakes should be as high as 18g/day.

Foods that provide many nutrients relative to the

amount of energy they contain are known as
nutrient rich foods e.g. milk and dairy foods.

Consumption of brown, wholegrain, wholemeal and

high fibre varieties of carbohydrate will help to
increase fibre intake.

Energy requirements vary depending on age, sex,

size, metabolic rate and activity level.

Protein

If we consume more energy/calories than we need,

we deposit the excess energy in the form of fat or
adipose tissue.
Conversely if we use more energy than we consume
we use up fat to provide us with more energy.
Carbohydrate
Carbohydrates can be divided into two broad
categories: available carbohydrate and unavailable
carbohydrate.
Available carbohydrate
Sugars and starch are categorised as available
carbohydrate.
Sugars are present naturally in fruit, vegetables and
milk and are also added to many processed foods
such as confectionery, cakes and biscuits.
Starch is found in foods such as bread, cereals and
potatoes.

Proteins are essential for growth and maintenance of

body tissues and for the production of substances
such as hormones and enzymes which help to control
many functions within the body. If insufficient
carbohydrate and fat are available in the diet, then
protein may also be used to provide the body with
energy.
Proteins are made from building blocks known as
amino acids.
There are 20 different amino acids.
Some amino acids can be made in the body and
others can only be supplied by the diet -these are
known as the essential amino acids.
Some foods are better providers of these amino acids
than others. Those which contain all the essential
amino acids are known as high biological value
foods e.g. milk and dairy foods, meat, eggs etc.
Those which contain fewer of the essential amino
acids are known as low biological value foods e.g.
cereals, beans, lentils and nuts.

Both starch and sugars are digested in the body and

converted to simple sugars (mainly glucose), which
are then used by the body to provide energy.

However if a wide variety of foods are consumed in

the correct proportions the different protein sources
can work together to provide the ideal levels of the
different amino acids.

Unavailable carbohydrate

Fat

Unavailable carbohydrate includes dietary fibre or

NSP (non starch polysaccharide). The term
unavailable is used because fibre cant be digested
and therefore doesnt provide us with energy.
However it is helpful in many other ways described
below.

Fats are essential for many reasons:

Dietary fibre can be divided into two categories:

insoluble fibre and soluble fibre.

They are a provider of energy

They are involved in forming cell membranes
They are a vehicle for the provision of fat soluble
vitamins such as Vitamins A, E, D and K
They are involved in making hormones

Insoluble fibre

They provide insulation; keeping us warm.

Insoluble fibre (found in wholegrain cereals and

grains, and some fruits and vegetables) adds bulk to
the contents of the gut, speeding their transit and it
is thought to help protect against constipation and
other bowel disorders

They provide us with a shock absorbing, protective

layer

Soluble fibre
Soluble fibre (found in pulses such as beans and
lentils, fruit, vegetables and also oats, barley and
rye) helps to reduce blood cholesterol levels and to
regulate blood sugar levels.

Fats are made from building blocks called fatty acids.

There are three types of fatty acids - saturated,

monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
The fat in food contains a mixture of all three fatty
acids, in different proportions in different foods.

1. Saturated fats
Foods that contain the higher proportion of saturated
fatty acids include fats and oils (e.g. butter, hard
margarine, some blended cooking oils), meat and its
products (e.g. pies, lard, suet), whole milk and its
products, coconut and palm oil.
2. Monounsaturated fats
Olives, olive oil and rapeseed oil are the best
providers of monounsaturated fatty acids.
3.Polyunsaturated fats
Fats and oils containing large amounts of
polyunsaturated fatty acids are derived mainly from
seeds and nuts and include pure sunflower,
safflower, sesame, soya, corn oils, and sunflower and
soya margarine.

Two polyunsaturated fatty acids, linoleic and alphalinolenic acids cannot be made in the body and must
be provided in the diet. These are called essential
fatty acids.
These essential fatty acids are known as the "parent"
fatty acids of 2 families of unsaturated fatty acids.
The parent fatty acids undergo various different
chemical reactions to produce the different fatty
acids within each family, which have numerous
different and important functions within the body.

are often found in processed foods such as biscuits,

cakes and margarines.
Trans fatty acids found in industrially produced
products have been shown to have a negative effect
on risk factors for CVD. In the UK efforts have been
made to reduce or remove trans fatty acids from
margarines and spreads through the use of new
techniques and many now have minimal amounts of
trans fatty acids.
Trans fatty acids also occur naturally in small
amounts in milk and milk products and have been
created in the stomach of ruminant animals (such as
cows and sheep).
Vitamins, minerals and trace elements
Vitamins, minerals and trace elements are required
for numerous functions within the body and
deficiencies can lead to serious health problems.
They are required in much smaller amounts than
fats, carbohydrates and proteins and are therefore
known as micronutrients.

The department of health recommends specific

amounts of each micronutrient for certain sub groups
of the population known as dietary reference values
(DRVs).

Linoleic acid is the parent fatty acid of the n-6 family

of fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acid is the parent
fatty acid of the n-3 family of fatty acids.

These recommendations only apply to healthy people

and shouldonly be used as a general guideline as
individual requirements are likely to vary.

Vegetable oils, eggs and poultry are good providers

of n-6 fatty acids which are important for the
formation of membranes in the body.

There are two types of vitamins, water-soluble and

fat soluble.

Unrefined fish oils and oily fish such as salmon,

mackerel and sardines are good providers of n-3 or
Omega 3 fatty acids which are important for the
correct formation of nerves and have been linked to
numerous health benefits such as reduced risk of
cardiovascular disease and improved brain function.
Experts advise that too much fat, in particular
saturated fatty acids, may lead to raised levels of
blood cholesterol in some people which, in turn, is a
risk factor for coronary heart disease.
As a result, government guidelines recommend that
fat should provide no more than 35% of daily food
energy, with saturates providing no more than 11%,
polyunsaturates contributing no more than 6.5% and
trans fatty acids no more than 2% of the daily food
energy intake.

Water-soluble vitamins
Water soluble vitamins travel around the body in the
bloodstream and are picked up by cells when they
are needed. Water-soluble vitamins that are not
required by the body are excreted in the urine.
Fat soluble vitamins
Fat soluble vitamins are stored in body fat (for a few
days or as long as 6 months) until the body needs
them.
Minerals and trace elements
Minerals and trace elements are similar to vitamins
and are required in very small or trace amounts to
maintain good health.

Trans fats

Minerals tend to be required in milligram (mg)

quantities and trace elements tend to be required in
much smaller amounts - microgram (g) quantities.

Trans fats are formed when the structure of

monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are
altered during a process called hydrogenation. They

Some are found only in a few foods, so it is important

that these foods are included in the diet on a regular

basis e.g. the main providers of calcium in the diet

are milk, cheese and yogurt . Some foods are also
fortified with minerals, for example, iron is added to
some breakfast cereals.
Minerals:
Calcium Chloride Fluoride Iron Magnesium
Phosphorus
Potassium Sodium Zinc

Trace elements:
Copper
Chromium
Iodine
Manganese
Molybdenum
Selenium