Food facts on labels provide important nutritional information for patients with diabetes. The information makes it easier than ever to choose foods to help control blood glucose and lipid levels. Show your patient how to read labels properly-and how to avoid being fooled by them. This label for a frozen dinner shows what patients should look for.
- Check the serving size. Note that a % cup serving is much less than most adults eat.
- Check the calories from fat and don’t be fooled by the percentage of fat. That number is a percentage of the total daily requirements for fat. The percentage of fat in the particular food can be much higher. To find this percentage, divide the calories from fat (279) by the total calories (320). Using this simple math, you’d find that this food is 87% fat. Remember, the American Heart Association recommends foods with less than 30% fat content.
- Check the amount of cholesterol. Remember that cholesterol should be limited to less than 300 mg a day.
- Check the sodium content. The 800 mg here is more than 30% of the daily allowance.
- Check the chart. Teach your patients to compare the recommended daily amounts on this chart with the amounts in the particular food.