A package of tea-time cake and a bag of chips have something in common, right? There's nothing healthy about either of them. Foods with a high caloric content but little nutritious value are referred to as junk food. Because of its flavour, junk food has an addictive quality, yet it has no positive effects on health. On the other hand, it contributes to weight gain, raises the risk of heart disease and hypertension, and can also result in lifestyle disorders. It is generally advisable to read and comprehend the food labels before purchasing any kind of prepared meal for this reason. The following are the main considerations when purchasing packaged foods.
Serving Size
A serving size is listed on every food label. Some varieties of packaged food only have one serving, whereas others may have multiple servings. Regarding this serving size, the remaining details on the label are stated. A juice box's nutritional information, for instance, might be based on a serving size of 100 ml. However. 200ml could be in the box. As a result, if you drank the entire juice box, you would consume twice as many calories as were shown on the container.
Nutrients List
Carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, sugar, vitamins, and minerals are the different types of calories found in prepackaged snacks. Usually, grams are used to measure these concentrations. Starch, sugar, and dietary fibre make up carbohydrates. Except for fibre, this serves as a source of immediate energy but it can also cause blood sugar levels to rise. Pick packaged snacks that have less than 10g of sugar per 100g and 1-2 grams of fibre per serving. You must then check the fat content. You should pay close attention to the amount of saturated fat in each serving to distinguish between packaged snacks for kids that are unhealthy and those that are good. Choose foods with little saturated fat in them. A snack may be described as having no saturated fats if it contains less than 1.5 grammes of saturated fat per 100g. However, it's crucial to keep in mind that the amount of saturated fat in multiple servings might add up.
Examine the amount of trans fats as well. These fats decrease good cholesterol while raising levels of bad cholesterol. Choose foods with a trans fat content of 1% or less. The amount of salt in the environment is another factor to consider. Salt's primary constituent is sodium. If the snack's label states that it includes 100 mg of sodium, it actually contains 250 mg of salt. According to the WHO, you should limit your daily sodium intake to 2,300 mg.
Recommended Dietary Allowance or RDA
Checking the RDA values on nutrition labels is crucial when buying packaged goods since they show you how much fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, and energy you require based on your age, gender, lifestyle, and level of activity. As a result, you will be able to determine whether a particular food item, for instance, contains more fat per serving than is healthy for you.
For instance, the ICMR estimates that males who have sedentary jobs require 54g of protein and 2110 Kcal of energy daily. Women who perform strenuous labour daily require 2720 Kcal of energy and 46g of protein. Boys between the ages of 10 and 12 need 2220 Kcal of energy, whilst girls need 2060 Kcal at that age.
Healthy Nutrients
To create muscles, your body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals as well as proteins. Iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A, B, C, and D are examples of this. Therefore, choosing snacks with high concentrations of these nutrients is a healthy decision.
Always read the food label thoroughly in order to make a more informed decision about the food you are consuming. Understanding food labels might help you evaluate different snacks and pick the healthier one if you need to follow a special diet or have health issues like high cholesterol or high blood pressure.