Nutrition Labels
Nutrition Labels
Are you one of those who never bother to read a foods nutrition label because you wouldnt understand it anyway? Do you feel that trees were unjustly cut down for this futile attempt to educate men on their food intake? Do you agree that price tags have been looked at more often than the nutrition label?
If you are one of those whod rather look at how much your food costs rather than what it contains, you probably dont know what to make of the nutrition label and its numbers. It basically works like the table of contents of a book or the manual of your television set. The nutrition label gives a complete breakdown of the nutrient content of the food measured either in grams, milligrams or by percentages. Either way, these figures are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, the amount which is mostly recommended for healthy people.
Serving Size
This portion of the nutrition label basically tells a person the actual amount of food he is eating. Food products of the same nature have the same serving sizes, making it easier to compare them.
Serving per Container or Package
This is the part of the nutrition label which tells you how many servings are actually in the package. This tells us how many of the serving sizes are inside the container.
Calories and Calories from Fat
This is the portion that people almost always focus on. The calorie content is important because excess intake can lead to weight gain. The calorie from fat is just as crucial because it is healthy to limit fat intake.
% Daily Value
This particular part of the nutrition label shows how much the contents are present in the 2,000 calorie diet based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). This will highlight if the food has enough or too much of the nutrients you need.
Total Fat, Cholesterol, Sodium, Total Carbohydrates, Protein
Comprises the different types of fat like unsaturated, saturated, and trans fat, all of which are given their breakdown. Too much intake of the last two types can bring about harmful effects to ones health.
Some people with specific diet instructions may be asked to limit their cholesterol and sodium intake. This portion of the nutrition label is their guide to adhering to their diets.
Total carbohydrates as well as proteins are also shown in this portion to help one have an idea how much of these nutrients each serving size has.
Vitamins & Minerals
These are the required food contents to be shown on nutrition labels which should be according to the RDA. However, some food companies may opt to show other necessary info on the food contents as well.
Maybe next time you shop, looking at the price tags wont take as much time as the going over the nutrition label. After all, we all want to get our moneys worth, right?
Nutrition For Chilren
Nutrition For Chilren
Are you one of those parents who are overprotective of their kids? Do you feel like you have to shield them from all the harm and dangers in life? Well, much as we want to be our kids superheroes, we can not be their beck-and-call 24 hours a day. While superman can smell danger way before it happens, we are powerless to know when our children are in danger until something has already happened to them.
Smart parenting does not stop in preventing your kids from falling down on their knees when playing, or in warning the neighborhood bully to stay away from them. Introducing them to proper nutrition for children early on can be your biggest challenge as a parent.
Basically, all parents know, and probably the kids too, that veggies are very important in nutrition for children. However, veggies are not as tempting to the taste buds as pizza or hamburgers, so getting your children to eat their share would probably take longer than the time you prepared the meal.
Parents should start introducing veggies as early as possible. Letting your older infant or your toddler eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables will help them eat more as they grow up. Also, serve veggies with those low-fat dressing or mix the vegetables with some other dishes that your children like to eat.
Aside from veggies, there are other issues on proper nutrition for children. One traditional belief that has earned scientific contradiction is that all children should have a vitamin-mineral supplement. Contrary to what is commonly believed, most children do not need this supplement. If your children are exposed to healthy eating habits, then they will get all the necessary nutrients from their food. Remember that a childs health is not dependent on a single meal but his eating pattern in general.
Another myth that parents have always seriously considered is that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is allegedly a result of too much sugar intake. Misconception on the effects of sugar has been longstanding. Candies, gums, cake, ice cream, and other foods high in sugar content are said to have caused children to become hyper and irritable. However, there is no scientific evidence that proves this claim.
Parents always want the best for their kids. Proper nutrition for children has taken a backseat for some because parents give in to their kids whims rather than enforcing to them what really need to be done. Setting a good example especially during mealtime may get them to eat the kind of foods that they need. Make them learn from you. After all, shouldnt you know best?
Nutrition During Pregnancy
Nutrition During Pregnancy
Doesnt it get to you when your grandmother tells you something totally in contrast to what your OB said? Did you get into a fight with your best friend over your doctors advice because she thinks hers is better after bearing 5 kids?
Being pregnant is already hard as it is without people making all the fuss and throwing their two cents each at you. The several physiological and emotional changes may be easier to bear than the debate over the nutrition during pregnancy that your friends and family are having. These well-meaning people may just want the best for you but your OB can give you the best advice on the proper nutrition during pregnancy. The following half-truths and total misconceptions may have cropped up during the debate:
1st Myth: Double your food intake because youre eating for two people.
Not exactly. An extra 300 calories is enough for most women. The baby inside your womb does not need the meal of a full-grown human being. Thus, the recommended weight gain is just about 24-35 pounds. This actually varies depending on the womans height and build, and the number of babies she is carrying. Your doctor can tell you the right nutrition during pregnancy to achieve the correct weight gain as well.
2nd Myth: Drinking coffee is a no-no.
This has remained to be a debate up to now. While most studies found out that 3 or four cups of coffee a day will have no dangerous effects on the baby, some doctors and other health practitioners still insist that java causes Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. If it is too much to bear not being able to drink coffee, make sure you lessen your intake. A cup or two a day is better than not having any at all.
3rd Myth: Herbal teas are safe.
Generally yes. However, intakes of large doses of herbs like peppermint and raspberry leaf are said to result in contractions and preterm labor. If you need tea as part of your nutrition during pregnancy scheme, check with your doctors which contents are safest.
4th Myth: Alcohol and cigarettes taken in moderation is ok.
For alcohol, possibly; but for cigarettes, dont even think about it. The glares you get from your parents and your hundreds of aunts may not scare you enough to throw out those sticks. But the harmful contents in cigarettes can get inside your babys system which may result in complications. Premature and low birth weight is also a possibility.
Even if have the urge to throw out your mom and your mother-in-law out of the house when they insist on a better nutrition during pregnancy, they sometimes have a point. Their might not be based on any science, but all the same — they mean well.