Are you familiar with that TV commercial? What does it tell you? Do you and your family read food labels when shopping?
Lesson 1
Reading Food Labels
Good nutrition means getting all the essential nutrients from the diet needed to keep the body strong and healthy.
The body is prone to sickness if it lacks the needed nutrients.
It is a good practice to be conscious of the nutritional contents of every food product that people buy.
You can find this information on the label of the food products.
Reading labels in food packages help us choose products that are healthy, nutritious, and beneficial to our bodies.
What is on the food label?
1. Name and Description of the Food - tells the
name and nature of the food.
2. Nutrition Facts Provides information on the number of nutrients and ingredients of the food.
Assignment Take a clear photo of two food labels (Nutrition Facts) from food items you have at home.
3. Advisory and Warning Statements Gives detail about certain ingredients that may harm our health.
4.Directions for Use and Storage Following storage instructions is important to make sure food products remain safe.
5. Date Markings The expiration date shows when a food product starts to be unsafe to consume. Best before date indicates that the food is best consumed before the given date.
Importance of Reading Food Labels
1. To compare the nutritional value of foods .
2. To know if the food is fresh or out of date.
3. To know how to best store or handle the food.
4. To identify the ingredients of the package.
Food labels provide information to consumers about the food to be bought.
As a consumer, you should make it a habit to read the labels and other relevant information before buying a product.