Who in the supermarket once a product turned around and at the nutritional label looked has the feeling: many numbers, technical terms and small portions, which at first glance little practicality seem. Thereby can the reading of food labels very helpful be. It helps to better categorize sugar, salt, fat, protein and calories – especially then, when high blood pressure, diabetes, increased cholesterol or overweight a role play.

In the USA live according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention almost half of all adults with high blood pressure, and a large part of the daily sodium intake comes from processed and packaged foods. Exactly for this reason a short, practiced look at the label is worthwhile. As pharmacists we often experience that even small changes when shopping can make a real difference. One does not have to do everything perfectly – but one should know what one looks at.

What a Nutrition Facts Label actually shows

The American “Nutrition Facts” label is structured so that it presents the most important nutritional information per serving. At the top is the serving size. That sounds trivial, but is one of the most common stumbling blocks. Many people compare products with each other without realizing that the information is based on differently sized portions.

Under the serving size, calories per serving are usually found. Then follow nutrients like total fat, saturated fatty acids, trans fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, fiber, added sugar and protein. Additionally, often vitamins and minerals like vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium are listed.

Important is also the percentage daily value, in English “% Daily Value”. This shows how much a serving of a food contributes to the recommended daily needs – based on a diet of 2,000 calories per day. That is not a perfect value for each individual person, but helps as a rough orientation in everyday life.

• 5 % daily value or less is usually considered low
• 20 % daily value or more is usually considered high

This is particularly useful for sodium, saturated fatty acids and added sugar: keep lower. For fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium, more is welcome.

Practical tip: Always first look at the serving size

If you want to quickly and sensibly read labels, do not start with the calories, but with the serving size. A bag of chips can for example contain 2.5 servings. If the label states 160 calories and 170 milligrams of sodium, this may only apply to a part of the bag – not for the whole content.

Especially with snacks, soft drinks, breakfast cereals and frozen meals this is crucial. A drink that appears moderate on the label can contain double or triple the sugar in the entire bottle. This is one of the reasons why people often underestimate their consumption.

In everyday life there is a simple rule:

• First check serving size
• Then consider how much you will actually eat or drink
• Calculate nutrients if necessary to your real amount

If you take medications for diabetes or high blood pressure, this habit can be particularly useful. Also in the pharmacy we can help you better categorize labels in relation to your condition or your diet plan.

Calories, fat and carbohydrates: What is truly important

Calories indicate how much energy a food provides. They are not “good” or “bad”, but a measure of energy content. For body weight, the overall balance over the day plays a role. Nevertheless, calories alone are not everything. A highly processed product with a lot of sugar and little fiber can have similarly many calories as a nutrient-rich snack – but often makes less full. Learn more about Où trouver Abilify.

With fat, it is worth taking a closer look. Unsaturated fats, such as they are found for example in nuts, seeds, avocado or certain vegetable oils, are generally considered to be more favorable for heart health. Saturated fatty acids should rather be limited, especially with increased LDL cholesterol or cardiovascular risk. Trans fats should be avoided as much as possible, as they are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

Carbohydrates are also not universally problematic. Decisive is the quality. Whole grain products, beans, fruits and fiber-rich foods behave differently in the body than highly sugary snacks or sweet drinks. Particularly added sugar deserves attention. The current US labeling highlights it separately for this reason.

Practical tip: Watch for added sugar and sodium

If you want to regularly check only two values, choose added sugar and sodium. These two values are particularly relevant for many people in everyday life. You might also want to read about Tout sur Female Viagra.

Most people in the USA consume more sodium than recommended. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium to under 2,300 milligrams per day. For people with high blood pressure, heart failure or kidney disease, depending on the individual situation, even more caution may be necessary.

Also with sugar attention is worthwhile. A high consumption of sugary drinks and highly processed foods can contribute to weight gain and make blood sugar control more difficult. The label today explicitly shows “Added Sugars”, therefore added sugar. This is more helpful than the total sugar number alone, because it can also contain naturally occurring sugar, for example from milk or fruit.

• Choose products with lower sodium content per serving if possible
• Compare similar products directly with each other
• Prefer foods with little added sugar
• Be especially attentive with sauces, ready-made soups, bread, mueslis and drinks

As pharmacists we often see that especially people with blood pressure medication are surprised how much salt is in seemingly “normal” everyday products. Related: Stress and Your.

The ingredient list: Often more revealing than thought

The nutritional label provides numbers, the ingredient list tells the real story of the product. The ingredients are ordered by quantity: what is listed first is contained the most. If sugar, syrup, refined flours or multiple sweeteners appear high up, that often says more than a single health term on the front of the package.

Also terms like “multigrain”, “natural” or “made with whole grains” can sound healthier than the product actually is. Therefore do not rely only on marketing statements on the front. Turn the package around and look at the facts.

For people with allergies or intolerances, the ingredient list is additionally important. Often milk, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, fish, shellfish and sesame must be clearly labeled. If you have to pay attention to sodium, sugar or certain additives, the ingredient list is also helpful.

Practical tip: Compare products of the same category

Food labels are especially useful when you do not consider a single product in isolation, but directly compare two or three similar products. This works well with yogurt, bread, muesli, frozen meals, soups or snack bars.

A simple comparison can show that one product contains significantly less sodium, less added sugar or more fiber – at similar price and taste. Thus healthier decisions become more realistic and practical.

• Always compare same serving sizes
• Pay attention to fiber and protein for better satiety
• Observe sodium and saturated fatty acids with cardiovascular diseases
• Check the carbohydrate amount especially with diabetes

Especially people who take multiple medications benefit from thinking together nutrition and therapy. Pharmacists can support here, for example if you are uncertain how your diet may affect blood pressure, blood sugar or weight.

When one does not have to read every detail perfectly

Labels are a tool, not a test. No one has to analyze every line in the supermarket. It makes sense to focus on the values that fit one's own health situation. With high blood pressure, sodium is usually in the foreground. With diabetes, serving size, total carbohydrates and added sugar are particularly important. With elevated cholesterol, it is worth taking a look at saturated fatty acids and trans fats.

For many people, it is often enough to recognize a few basic patterns: less highly processed products, more fiber, less added sugar, moderate salt and realistic portion sizes. That is often clearly more helpful than the attempt to classify every food into “good” or “bad”.

When to See Your Doctor

Talk to your doctor if you have pre-existing conditions and are unsure which nutrients are particularly important for you. This applies especially to diabetes, kidney disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, eating disorders or unintentional weight changes.

Also if you notice problems with blood sugar control, severe water retention, persistently elevated blood pressure or discomfort after certain foods despite your own efforts, this should be medically classified. Nutrition is an important part of health but does not replace individual diagnosis or treatment.

In many cases, the pharmacy can also provide support – for example with blood pressure measurements, medication advice or a comprehensible classification of nutritional information in relation to your medications.

This information is for general purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice.