Finding and understanding nutritional information for our foods can be exhausting. We may be most familiar with nutrition labels founds on products we purchase at the grocery store. The information will often be small and include a host of numbers and percentages. This can make understanding nutritional information intimidating. However, the more informed we are about our foods, the better decisions we will make for our bodies. How can we get started?
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration sets nutrition guidelines, which can be found at https://www.fda.gov, to advise us on how to meet our nutrient needs and promote better health. Our bodies need a wide variety of nutrients, such as protein and calcium. However, rather than try to understand all the nutrients, we will focus on 3 categories that contribute to many of our health problems. Diets high in refined carbohydrates/sugar, saturated/trans fats, and sodium have been associated with numerous diseases, such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. We will breakdown how we can focus on each of these categories.
Carbohydrates
The FDA recommends you eat 275g of carbohydrates daily based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet. Most of the foods we enjoy contain carbohydrates. Grains, breads, and potatoes are some notable sources. We may find that our energy levels spike and crash depending on how many carbohydrates we consume for each of our meals due to how our blood sugars rise and fall. This can indicate we may be overindulging in this macronutrient. Constantly having high blood sugar can even eventually contribute to diabetes. A blood test can help us assess if we are at risk for diabetes. Even if we are not at risk, we can track our carbohydrates for a few days and try making adjustments to see if we notice any improvements in how we feel.
Saturated fats
The FDA recommends you eat no more than 30g of saturated fat daily on a 2,000 calorie daily diet. There is no daily value for trans fats because the FDA does not have scientific reports that help establish an amount. Countless research links saturated fats with an increased risk for heart disease. We can identify saturated fats by noting they are solid at room temperature, such as fats in red meat and cheese. A blood test can assess if we are at risk for heart disease. Tracking how much we consume in saturated fats for a few days can help us see if we should make any adjustments. Although we may not be at risk for heart disease now, developing good habits will ensure lower risk for problems in the future, such as heart attacks.
Sodium
The FDA recommends you eat no more than 2,300mg of sodium daily on a 2,000 calorie daily diet. Although we need sodium for our bodies to function, too much sodium consumption can lead to high blood pressure, which increases your risk for cardiovascular diseases. Having high blood pressure affects our daily activities due to symptoms such as headaches and anxiety. Most of our sodium intake comes in the form of salt, and high levels of sodium can be found in many processed and restaurant foods. A blood pressure test can assess if we are within the normal range. Tracking how much we consume in sodium for a few days can help us see if we should make any adjustments.
Make an effort to track how much of these 3 nutrients you consume on an average day. Take advantage of blood tests and other medical assessments to understand any potential health risks. With a bit of time and effort, you will take better control of your health. You will be on your way to notice the benefits of understanding nutritional information.
References
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/carbohydrates-and-blood-sugar/
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/31/usda-dietary-guidelines-diabetes_n_5635554.html
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-fats-bad-and-good
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Frequently-Asked-Questions-About-Saturated-Fats_UCM_463756_Article.jsp#.W3eWYdJKg2w
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/salt-and-sodium/sodium-health-risks-and-disease/
https://www.cdc.gov/salt/pdfs/Sodium_Fact_Sheet.pdf