When they reach the market for shopping, women look at food packaging in general to see if it has been tampered with and whether the product is apparently in good condition. But is this basic check alone enough to know if the product is of quality and will not hurt the family? No, not enough. When looking at the label of a product, it is important to pay attention to technical aspects, such as nutritional information.
Labels are elements of communication between food and consumer. According to National Health Surveillance Agency standard? ANVISA, which is the body responsible for regulating food labeling, nutrition labeling is mandatory in order for consumers to know what they are going to buy and to choose from the most appropriate options for their lifestyle.
"Reading package information, such as expiration date, is indispensable before taking the product home," recommends nutritionist Fernanda Souza.
The Ministry of Health points out that 70% of people consult the labels before finalizing the purchase. However, more than half of these consumers do not understand the information. Do you understand the technical content of product packaging? Check out the tips and learn how to better choose your foods.
The label must contain the following items:
- Ingredients ? all that was used in the production;
- Source ? where and by whom the product was manufactured;
- Expiration date ? period in which the company guarantees product quality;
- Net content ? indicates the total quantity contained in the package;
- Lot ? number that is part of the factory production control;
Understand the nutritional information:
Portion ? Establishes an average amount that the food must be consumed. For example, in a stuffed cracker package there is one serving, which is the amount considered ideal for consumption each time the person picks up the package.
Home Measure ? In general, this item indicates how consumers measure food. For example: 3 units, 2 cups, 1 cup, etc.
% DV ? The acronym stands for Percentage of Daily Values. The number indicated by% DV shows the amount of energy and nutrients presented by the product in relation to a 2000 calorie diet. Each nutrient has a different value for calculating the RV, so it is also necessary to place its reference values next to each one.
To be sure that you will meet your daily nutritional needs and maintain a healthy diet, it is important that you know the meaning of each item on the nutrition chart and pay attention to product reference values. No more adding up the value of each nutrient, explains the nutritionist. Choose products with low% VD for saturated fats, trans fats and sodium, or products with high% VD for dietary fiber.
Understanding Food Labels (April 2024)
- food
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