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Nutrition labels - nutrition
One of the key aspects to effectively implement the basic principles of holistic nutrition is that of **nutritional labels**.
Nutrition labels are extremely necessary because they allow us to make a correct reading of what we ingest on a regular basis. Although they are created on the basis of a simple logic to understand, not many people master the content of the same, and often tend to make purchases biased or manipulated by commercials that do not show the reality of what each product contains.
When we go to buy vegetables and fruits we have no problem, because these are products that, in themselves, contain only one ingredient. So we choose the amount we need without paying attention to anything else. But when we are talking about a complex product, which is made up of several ingredients, everything changes drastically, and that is where a good command of nutrition labels can be of great help.
A nutrition label provides the total amount of calories that will be added to our body when consuming the product. This caloric total is broken down into the macronutrients it contains, as well as the micronutrients it will offer the body.
This information is presented in portions. This is the first point that you must master, because the amount of calories indicated on the label is shown for a single serving, therefore, if you eat a product that contains ten servings, you must multiply by 10 the number of calories indicated.
The label will also show you the total carbohydrates, proteins, fats, sugar, vitamins, minerals, among others.
There are nutrients that you should avoid and others that you should favor in your consumption. When choosing a product we must pay attention to issues such as saturated fats or trans fats, which are found in products such as butter, milk, ice cream, among others.
They should not be confused with the rest of the fats recommended in a healthy diet. Saturated fats are extremely harmful to our organism, since they considerably increase the level of cholesterol in the body, causing heart attacks and cerebrovascular problems. If you are going to buy a product, be sure to avoid high levels of these fats.
Look for products rich in vitamins, calcium and potassium, which are often scarce in our body and are essential for our vital functions.
We have already talked about how harmful saturated fats are for our body, but as you know, not all fats are bad, and our body needs them to function normally.
Unsaturated fats are abundant in products such as vegetables, nuts and fish. These fats can help control cholesterol levels and are essential in a balanced diet.
The percent daily value is one of the most important aspects of a nutrition label. It is nothing more than a sample of the nutrients that the product will contribute to your daily diet. The basic rule to know if a product is rich or poor in a certain nutrient is to look at its percentage. More than 20% is considered that the product is rich in that nutrient, while a figure of less than 5% means that the nutrient is scarce in the product.
It is possible that if you have not read this before, you did not find salt on the nutrition label, and this is because salt appears as sodium on the labels. Sodium or salt, which are used synonymously on these labels, is not favorable for our organism. Try to consume products with less than 5% sodium, following the rule explained above.
Excess sodium causes diseases related to increased blood pressure. Our body needs very little sodium to function normally, and as a general rule, we consume much more than necessary in our diet.
A food abundant in fiber is beneficial to your daily dietary regimen. Fiber is extremely valuable for satiating the appetite and controlling the amounts of food we eat. It is also very positive for the digestive system and is an essential nutrient in a balanced diet.
Cholesterol is a substance that in small quantities is very beneficial for our organism, but in excess it can end our life or deteriorate our health notably. It is preferable to buy products low in cholesterol, because we regularly acquire cholesterol from many products that are common in our daily diet.
Reducing saturated fat consumption will help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
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