Nutrition Labels

Making nutritious food choices are of the utmost importance for people living with diabetes. Understanding the ingredients in your meals and reading food labels will assist you in making wise dietary decisions.

Reading Food Labels

Most packaged foods in the grocery store list nutrition information on the package in a section called "Nutrition Facts." The Nutrition Facts tell you the serving size, calorie count, and the amount of various nutrients such as carbohydrates, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and fiber per serving.¹ When you read food labels, it is important to understand that certain foods can be exempt from the label. These include foods in very small packages, foods prepared in the store, and foods made by small manufacturers.¹ As an informed consumer, you should also know and take into account that fat-free foods can be higher in carbohydrates and may contain almost the same calories as the regular versions of these foods. Fat-free foods are not necessarily a better choice than the standard product, so read your labels carefully. Eating nutritious, balanced foods—in the right portions—can help keep your blood glucose as close to normal as possible.

Nutrition Facts

Always take note of the serving size on the Nutrition Facts. Certain packaged foods contain more servings than you might expect. The information on the left side of the Nutrition Facts label provides total amounts of different nutrients per serving.² To make wise food choices, check the total amounts for:

• Calories
• - Unit of food energy
• Total fat
• - How much fat is in a food per serving
• Saturated fat
• - Raises your cholesterol level; try to eat less foods with saturated fats
• Cholesterol
• - Fat-like substance
• Sodium
• - Table salt
• Total carbohydrate
• - Starches, sugars, and fibers
• Fiber
• - Helps to regulate the body

Remember, the serving on the food label may not be the same as the serving size in your food plan or the serving you normally eat. If you eat twice the serving listed on the label, you would need to double all the numbers in the Nutrition Facts section. For example, using the label above as a reference, if you usually eat two cups of chili with beans, you'll need to double all of the numbers in this Nutrition Facts section.²