Living a long and healthy life requires knowing what you’re eating. Unfortunately, food labels can sometimes make that a little complicated. Once you gain a solid understanding of nutritional facts, though, you’ll be well equipped to keep the kitchen stocked with all-natural, healthy food. The following guide will help you learn how to interpret food labels.

How to Read & Understand Food Labels

1. Check Serving Sizes

First, check the serving size and number of servings per container. You might learn a favorite, supposedly healthy food has not one but two servings at 200 calories apiece. All of the information on food labels is based on that serving size, so if you finish the entire package in one sitting, you must double every number to calculate your consumption

2. Know What to Limit

Healthy foods are low in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and cholesterol. Limit these ingredients in your diet. On the other hand, consume more foods with high amounts of dietary fiber, calcium, iron, protein, and essential vitamins. A diet rich in these nutrients will greatly improve your health.

4. Understand Daily Values

You should first understand that “% Daily Value,” or %DV, is not directly applicable to every lifestyle. These percentages indicate how much a single serving satisfies the recommendations for an adult on a standard 2,000-calorie diet. Your dietary needs may diverge significantly from these amounts. Unless you have specific advice from your doctor, aim for low percentages (less than 5%) for nutrients like sodium and cholesterol, and high percentages (greater than 20%) for healthy substances like calcium and vitamin A.

5. Be Diligent About Organic Labels

Organic food is rapidly growing in popularity, but unfortunately, that means some businesses are taking advantage of the demand. Actual organic, healthy food must bear an official USDA organic seal and meet a strict set of criteria. For example, guidelines prohibit hormone or antibiotic supplements in animals, and the use of synthetic fertilizers in growing produce. 

Consuming healthy food can feel like a full-time job in today’s society, but Lori’s Natural Foods Center of Rochester, NY, makes the task much easier. Stocked with non-GMO products and organic, healthy food, the natural grocery is a one-stop shop for a balanced diet. You can pick up locally-grown fruits and vegetables to support the community or shop for dietary supplements to promote wellness. To learn more about their high nutritional standards, call (585) 424-2323 today. Visit them online to browse their available products.