Always Complete From A to Zinc
By Amanda Coy
The Importance of Reading Food Labels
To show my parents how important it is to read food labels I conducted an experiment on them. I took a regular family snack, sour cream and onion chips, and told them to take out how many chips on average they would eat for a snack, then put it into a bag.
My plan was to show them how they are taking the wrong amounts and they can get the correct amount of calories by reading the serving size label.
When I told them to take the chips out of the bag they had no idea what my intentions were so the amount they took out is an accurate reading.
The results were...
- My father took 33 chips
- My mother took 9 chips
- Now keep in mind when you look at the results that the serving size for the bad of sour cream and onion chips was 17 chips
Analysis
When I explained to my parents their results they were surprised. My dad had taken twice the amount of calories you are suppose to receive, and my mother took about half of the amount which doesn't allow her to get the nutrient %daily value.
I next informed them on how they can be more efficient when serving /eating food by knowing which foods are important to eat, which ones to stay away from, and the 5-20 rule. After learning about these tips they both agreed to look at the food labels from now on. This experience helped my parents understand how to eat healthier foods and how much they should eat per serving.
The Points I Shared With My Parents
What Foods You Should Eat
The USDA, United States Department of Agriculture, explains you should eat from the five food groups; vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein foods. These foods provide nutrients with low amount of calories (Focus on foods you need para. 1).
The 5-20 Rule
The 5-20 rule can show how the food fits into your daily diet. 5% Daily Value (DV) or less is low, 20% Daily Value (DV) or more is high,” (Wisconsin nutrition education program para.1).
Foods To Avoid
When reading food labels you must know which ingredients to avoid,”You should stay away from Trans Fat Oils, Artificial Sweeteners, Sodium Nitrates, and corn syrup,” (Rogers para. 1,2,5,6).