LEARN THE

LABEL
the words behind nutrition
 Jessica Brown
Professor Parkinson
KNH 420G
January 2019
throughout my experience,
I have seen many patients & families with concern to the
strange words listen on the nutrition label's ingredient
list. Some have severe food allergies and run the risk of
consuming foods that contain them without even
realizing it- leading to dangerous consequences. In other
cases, a patient could be newly diagnosed with a chronic
disease. They may not able to eat some foods they once
loved as the ingredients do not sit will with them. When a
registered dietitian is consulting them for their
discharge, they always provide information on how to
read the label. Such discussion involves teaching them
what means what on a food label. Everyone wants to
enjoy a meal in peace- this presentation will help people
understand hidden ingredients and what to look out for
when grocery shopping.
The basics

of the label
what is the label?

The label is there to help

you understand content of
your food of choice.
Although, the real question
is...
Why do we need it?

Typically, people read the label to

get a general understanding of the
macronutrients (carbs, protein, and
fat). But what lies beneath is much
more than that. People who follow
diets specific for Diabetes, Renal
Disease, Crohn's Disease, or have an
allergy must look deeper into the
content of the label to be sure that
the food will not harm them or fits
requirement.
What is required to be

listed?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
created a guideline requiring food distributers
to contain the following:

information panel labeling

ingredient list
allergen specification
nutrition facts
 Informational panel

labeling
Name and address of the manufacturer, packer, or
distributor along with any allergen information.
This information is useful when one needs to
contact them with allergen content questions.
People with celiac disease or nut allergies, for
instance, can use this information to prevent the
worst case scenario from occurring.
This information is also useful in cases where legal
action needs to be taken; when people experience
severe adverse reactions to foods - a legal team
can use this contact info to get down to business.
 ingredient list

The ingredients of the product must be

listed in descending order by weight
proportions. For example, in a can of
vegetable soup the "heaviest"
ingredient in proportion to the rest is
water, the next is tomato puree,
carrots, and so on.

This gives you an idea on how much of

an ingredient is in the food in
proportion to the rest.
Is anything not required

to be listed as an

ingredient?
All foods in the product must be listed. This means all
major and minor ingredients. In fact, if there is an
ingredient that has been produced before the final
production, those ingredients must be listed too. Even
added water must be listed, unless it was removed
during cooking!

I.e. what ingredients are in the pasta of a soup.

 Chemical Preservatives

Chemical preservatives can consist of

ascorbic acid, nitrates, sulfites, etc. These
are required to have an explanation to why
they have been used. Some are very
beneficial to the product, such as preventing
mold growth where others can just be
"cosmetic" to maintain color
concerns for

people with

allergens
 Natural or Artificial

flavor

These terms are used to replace what has

been used in the flavoring process. This
could mean that an allergen has been
covered up in the ingredient list
 major food allergens
The FDA recognizes the following as major
food allergens:
milk
eggs
fish
crustacean shellfish
tree nuts
wheat
peanuts
soybeans
 major allergies cont.

As mentioned before, even though the

ingredient list does not directly mention an
allergen, there can still be ingredients derived
form an allergen and be masked in the list by
"artificial/natural colors/flavors" or be cross
contaminated during processing.
 what to look for:

allergens

All labels will signify where an ingredient was derived from,

such as where "lecithin" came from. In this case it can from a
soy product. One with a soy allergy should stay away from
this product. On the front of a product, there will be an icon
noting if the product is free from an allergen or
preservatives. They will not state if it is contained via an
icon.
concerns for people

with type two

diabetes
 A note to the newly

diagnosed T2 diabetic
This diagnosis is directly related to the diet
and is, unfortunately, very common; you are
not alone. This does not mean that you
cannot enjoy delicious foods. Our market is
full of "safe" pre-prepared foods along side
separate ingredients that can be used to
make meals that fit your new diet.
 Pay attention to:
carbohydrate content
A serving of carbohydrates is 15 grams. You
should aim to have at least 1-2 servings of
carbohydrates for snacks and 3-4 servings
for a meal 3 times a day.
fiber content
Foods with carbohydrates and a high fiber
count (whole grains, legumes, fruit and
vegetables) help slow the usual spike in
blood sugar when you consume a meal
without fiber.
 pay attention to: cont.
sugar alcohols
These include sorbitol, xylitol, and mannitol,
which are typically listed on the food label.
they are essentially sugar substitutes that are
lower in calorie and contribute to the
carbohydrate content
Fats
While the main concern is carb count to
ensure safe blood sugar, the fat content is
valuable too. Mono and polyunsaturated fats
are considered "good". You should limit or
avoid trans fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol
though as they can increase risk of heart
disease
 Tip #1
Pay mind to the serving size and what you
actually eat. If you have a slice of bread
where the serving size is 1 slice at 120
calories and 23 grams of carbohydrate, you
are having 1.5 servings of carbohydrates (23 /
15 = 1.53)

If you have two slices,

that would be 3
servings of carbs in
turn.
 Tip #2:

ALWAYS look at the total carbohydrates

listed on the label, as this gives you the
most accurate value for your carb count.
you ay see "net carbs" on the label. This
number is the grams of fiber and sugar
alcohols subtracted for the toatal carbs.
Both fiber and sugar alcohols mean
carbohydrates and do impact your blood
sugar in turn.
concerns for people

with Crohn's

Disease
What is Crohn's disease?

A gastrointestinal illness
characterized by chronic inflammation
and irritation of the digestive tract.
The disease can harm any sight of the
digestive tract, but mainly the small
intestine. Here, immune cells attack
good bacteria and body tissue causing
abdominal pain, diarrhea, bleeding,
weight loss, fever and fatigue. In
addition, one cannot absorb as many
nutrients with a damaged small
intestine.
 What to look for
While food is not a direct cause of
Crohn's, it is an irritant. Food irritants
are individual and may require an
elimination diet (removing a possible
irritant for a while then introducing it
back in to test for adverse reaction) to
find. The most common include dairy,
spicy food, high fiber foods, and
alcohol. Some medications for Crohn's
also impact our bone health- so
maximizing intake of calcium,
magnesium, and vitamin D & K.
 Reading the label for Crohn's
It is likely that you may be taking a supplemental
drink based on the severity of one's case. Here is a
sample for the Boost High protein Nutritional Drink

The % Daily Value numbers are

there to help you figure out what
needs this drink fulfills for your
average 2,000 kcal diet. So with one
serving, you get 60% of your DV for
vitamin D, 35% for calcium, and
25% for magnesium. By reading
other labels you can quickly add up
the values for each nutrient to
equal around 100%
To conclude...
The FDA does everything they can to make sure
consumers are purchasing a product that fulfills their
needs, although some readings can be misleading to the
beginner. Understanding what terms in the ingredient
list and nutrition label mean are crucial to thriving on a
diet "prescribed" for an allergy or chronic disease.
 sources:
1. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Food Labeling Guide. Jan. 2013,
www.fda.gov/downloads/food/guidance%20complianceregulatoryinformati
on/%20guidancedocuments/foodlabelingnutrition/foodlabelingguide/ucm26
5446.pdf.

2. America Diabetes Association. “Taking a Closer Look At

Labels.” American Diabetes Association, 27 June 2014,
www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/food-tips/taking-
a-closer-look-at-labels.html.

3. Zibdeh, Nour. “Crohns Disease and Diet.” Eat Right. Academy of

Nutrition and Dietetics., 20 Sept. 2017,
www.eatright.org/health/wellness/digestive-health/crohns-disease-and-
diet.