The primary source of energy in our bodies is food. Our choices of foods affect our health. It is essential to maintain a healthy diet to live better and longer. It can help us maintain a healthy weight reduce our risk of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, Hypertension, and obesity, and Heart Disease.

We understand that food is essential for our health, but due to our busy lives, we need to spend more time cooking.

We buy instant foods and ready-to-eat food because we need more time. In a rush, we often need to remember to read the labels on food, which can hurt our health. These labels contain nutritional information that helps us know the serving size, calories, and total fat. They also provide sodium, sugar, fiber, and other essential nutrients. Food labels are attached to most food products.

Most of these fast foods are high in sodium, sugars and low in other nutrients. Consumption of these foods may cause various lifestyle illnesses, and reading labels can help us make better food decisions. The brand also informs us about allergens such as gluten, lactose, and soy. It can help us avoid food intolerances and allergic reactions.

What to remember when reading Nutrition Facts Labels:

1. Attention to serving size. Pay attention to the number of portions the packet contains. For example, 1/2 serving, one serving, or more.
2. Check the total calories for each serving. A 2-serving size is equivalent to consuming twice as many calories.
3. Limit your intake of certain nutrients.
4. Get enough nutrients – Proteins and vitamins are essential to our health and should be included in adequate quantities.
5. Understanding % Daily Value – This will show you the number of nutrients that are in a single serving. This tells us if a particular food has a high or low level of a specific nutrient. For example, a serving with a nutrient content of 5% DV is considered low. A serving with a nutrient content of 20% DV is considered high.