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1. Check the serving size and number of servings per package. Many foods contain more than one serving per package. The food label only lists nutrition information for one serving.
2. Measure out your food. If you have more than one serving stated on the package, multiply everything on the label by how many servings you eat.
3. Look at the grams of fiber per serving. Good sources of fiber have 3 grams and excellent sources have 5 grams or more.
4. Look at the grams of fat per serving. Some labels will break down the fat into saturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. Trans fat will appear in 2006. Choose a food with no more than 3 grams of saturated fat per serving.
5. Look at the calories per serving in balancing your food choices. Use this rule of thumb: 100-200 calories is a snack or part of a meal and 300-500 calories is a whole meal.
6. Do not pay attention to the percentages on the right side of the food label. Grams are more important to assess.
7. Look at the ingredient list which lists the most significant ingredients to the least significant ingredients. A short ingredient list may indicate a minimally processed food. Buy foods with easy to understand ingredient lists. Sometimes long ingredient lists contain many chemicals and artificial compounds which yields a highly processed food. Avoid foods with partially hydrogenated oils and high-fructose corn syrup in the first three ingredients.
8. Look for products that market their foods to be a good source of fiber, whole grains, calcium, trans-fat free, and with no added sugars.
9. Choose low sodium foods when available, less than 500 mg/serving.
10. Choose foods with no preservatives and artificial flavors and colors. Some of these foods may be labeled as organic. The body needs to work harder to detoxify the body from the chemicals, leaving less energy to facilitate reproduction. Additives upset hormonal balance.
Choose organic, hormone-free poultry and egg products. Growth hormones that have been added to conventional products may impair hormone balance.
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