How to Evaluate Nutrition Information

Understanding nutritional information necessitates evaluating food labels, as well as comprehending the United States Department of Agriculture's recommendations for diet as presented in the food pyramid. Individual food products should be assessed against an individual's own diet plan to evaluate calories and the amount of vitamins, minerals and fats. Trusted resources like the Food and Drug Administration, the United States Department of Agriculture or the American Dietetic Association can help consumers learn more about nutrition.

Things You'll Need

• Food pyramid
• Nutritional label on a food product

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Instructions

How to Evaluate Nutrition Information

• 1

  Study the food pyramid to get a good idea of the recommended types and amounts of foods. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends whole grains, a variety of fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy, lean proteins and healthy oils.

• 2

  Read the nutritional label on food products. Begin with the information at the top, the serving size.

• 3

  Determine the serving size and the amount of servings contained within the product. Some products have more than one serving, and the listed nutritional information is only relevant to one serving, not the entire container.

• 4

  Take note of the calorie content. The FDA suggests that 40 calories per serving is low, and 400 calories per serving is high.

• 5

  Read the nutrient information and be aware of the nutrients to limit like fats, cholesterol and sodium. Nutrients like fiber, iron, calcium and vitamins A and C should be maximized.

• 6

  Take a look at the percent daily value column on the label. This column will give the consumer an idea of what the food provides in relation to how much of each nutrient should be in the entire daily diet.

• 7

  Analyze how well the food product fits in with the daily diet by comparing food labels and choosing foods that offer more nutrition and fewer fats and calories.