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Nutrition Facts Table
Maybe you already pay attention to the Nutrition Facts table found on food labels, maybe you don't - here's why you should. The nutrition facts and ingredients help you to make more informed choices about the food you eat. When you take charge of what you eat, you can help reduce your risk of being diagnosed with a nutrition-related disease, like cancer, diabetes or heart disease. That's something everyone should get excited about.
Almost all prepackaged food must display nutrition facts. The table is easily identifiable as it looks the same on every food product. Let's break it down so the next time you go grocery shopping you'll be better equipped to:
- Compare products
- Determine the nutritional value of foods
- Better manage special diets
- Increase or decrease your intake of a particular nutrient
Amount: All the information in the Nutrition Facts table is based on a specific amount of food. This amount is not necessarily a suggested quantity of food that you should consume. Compare it to the amount you will actually eat. If you eat more or less of the amount specified in the Nutrition Facts table, keep in mind that the % Daily Value shown for each nutrient will need to be adjusted accordingly. When you compare products, make sure you take note of the amount in order to properly evaluate the nutrients.
% Daily Value: This is a benchmark for evaluating the nutrient content of foods, based on recommendations for a healthy diet, and is used to determine whether there is a lot or a little of a nutrient in a specific amount of food. You can make healthy choices by selecting foods with less % Daily Value of: fat, saturated and trans fats, sugar, and sodium. Your food selections should have more % Daily Value of: fibre, iron, Vitamin A, and calcium. A general guideline is that 5% Daily Value is a little amount of the nutrient and 15% or more is a lot.
Calories: The Nutrition Facts table shows the amount of energy provided by the specified amount of food. Refer to Canada's Food Guide for the recommended amount of calories you require for your age and activity level.
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