To really know if everything you eat is good for your body, you should be able to read and understand the nutritional and technical information on the food label. In addition to knowing what daily nutritional values or portion mean, you need to know the meaning of each table item, such as sodium and saturated fats, for example.
If you are a woman who cares about what you eat and what you serve your family, you should be sure to check the food label. But just looking is no use. Learn what each of those items you find on the back of your food package means and start eating healthier foods.
Energetic value: Energy value is the energy that is produced by the human body through carbohydrates, protein and total fat. This value is expressed as kilocalories and kilojoules, by the abbreviations KCAL and KJ, respectively. Both ways are accepted to measure the energy value.
According to the National Health Surveillance Agency? ANVISA, 1 kilocalorie equals 4.2 kilojoules.
Carbohydrates: They are responsible for providing energy to the cells of the body, especially the brain. In general, carbohydrates are most easily found in pasta, rice, sugar, honey, breads, flour and tubers (potatoes and cassava).
Proteins: They are important components of food. Proteins are necessary for the maintenance of organs, tissues and cells. Meat, eggs, milk and dairy products, beans, soy and peas are natural sources of protein.
Total fat: Main sources of energy in the body, fats aid in the absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K. They are called total fats because they represent the total of all types of fats (animal or vegetable) found in food.
Saturated fat: In general, saturated fat is a type present in animal foods such as meat, cheese, whole milk, butter, curd and yogurt, for example.
When looking at total saturated fats, you should be aware that when consumed in large amounts, these fats can increase the risk of developing heart disease.
Trans fats or trans fatty acids: This fat is found mainly in processed foods, for example, margarines, cookies, ice cream, ready snacks, which have as raw material hydrogenated vegetable fats.
The human body does not need trans fats. For this reason, consumption should be reduced because it may increase the risk of developing heart disease. According to ANVISA, you should not consume more than 2 grams of trans fat per day.
Food Fiber: This nutrient can be found in foods of plant origin, such as fruits, vegetables, beans and whole foods. The fibers assist in the functioning of the bowel.
Sodium: Sodium can raise blood pressure when consumed in excess. It is present in table salt and processed foods.
Pay attention to the daily reference value, represented by the acronym% VD, and avoid foods that have high% VD in fats that can be harmful to the body.
Nutritional food labeling (May 2024)
- food
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