When trying to lose weight, knowing what you are eating is important. Understanding a food label is essential to tracking your food consumption.
Understanding the different parts of the food label.
The serving size is the most important part of any food label. The serving size of this food is 2/3 cup (55g). All of the information on the rest of the label is based off of one serving.
There are 8 servings in the entire package.
There are 230 calories in one serving. 40 out of the 230 calories are coming from fat.
Then entire package has 1,840 calories and 320 fat calories.
When trying to lose weight, calories count. You lose weight by staying in a caloric deficit.
Total fat in one serving is 8 grams.
The words Total Fat are bolded because it includes the 1 gram of Saturated Fat and the 0 grams of Trans Fat.
As a rule, the Total Number of fats on a food label include saturated, polyunsaturated and trans fats. Saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature and from animal sources, while unsaturated fats are usually liquid and from plant sources. Unsaturated fats help to main cholesterol levels. Trans fat is the most unhealthy fat of all. Trans fat is a manufactured fat and does not occur naturally in nature. Most processed foods contain trans fat, such as high fructose corn syrup. When trying to lose weight, avoid unsaturated fats along with trans fats as well as limiting your overall fat intake.
Cholesterol in one serving is 0 milligrams. The cholesterol in your blood comes from two sources: the foods you eat and your liver. Your liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs.
Sodium in one serving is 160 milligrams. If you're getting too much sodium, you're retaining water, which can lead to weight gain.
Total Carbohydrates in one serving is 37 grams.
The words Total Carbohydrate are bolded because it includes the 4 grams of Dietary Fiber and the 1 gram of Sugars.
As a rule, Total Carbohydrates on a food label include all fibers, sugars, and starches found in the food. Carbohydrates are an energy source. When carbs are ingested, your blood sugar spikes. This spike in blood sugar causes your pancreas to produce insulin. The insulin changes blood glucose into glycogen, which is used as energy. Any glycogen not used as energy by the body is stored as body fat. The body will not look to stored body fat as a fuel source until all the glycogen is used; hence, when trying to lose weight a low carb, no carb diet is best.
Protein in one serving is 3 grams.
Protein is in every cell of the body. It is needed to repair and rebuild muscles, metabolic functions, balancing pH levels and so much more. Protein fills you up so you don't feel hungry. You want to space your protein out throughout the day but still stay within your caloric deficit. Protein will not store as body fat.
Food labels contain valuable information. This information is especially important when you are counting calories, tracking your macros, and trying to lose weight.
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