How to Read Nutritional Data

If you are having trouble deciphering all those measurements on your food packages, you are not alone! Many people have trouble reading nutrition labels and figuring out what they mean for them and their diets. Thankfully, these nutrient facts aren't meant to be confusing, and once you know what the terms mean, it is easy to understand and use the information they hold in your own diet.

The first thing to understand is that nutritional data is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. This is what is considered to be a healthy caloric intake for the average person trying to maintain a healthy body weight. However, since each person is different, not everyone should follow a 2,000 calorie diet. Someone trying to lose weight may eat less than that, while someone trying to gain weight would eat more. It also depends on your daily activity level, body size, and general health. Nutritional data should be adjusted depending on your ideal calorie intake.

Another aspect of nutritional data that leaves people scratching their heads is how much food they should eat. This is where reading labels is important, because they outline what a serving size is. Contrary to what many thing, most foods are not packaged in single servings (not even bottled drinks!) so it is important to look and see how many servings there are per container and what a typical serving size is. This is because all of the data is based on a per serving basis, and should be adjusted if you plan on consuming more than the recommended serving size.

These are the main aspects of nutritional data that seem to confuse people the most, but it is important to be able to understand these labels and know what you are eating. If you are still confused, you may want to to consult with your primary care provider or an experienced nutritionist for more information and guidelines on what should be included in a healthy diet designed to suit your unique needs.