During the recent years, people are becoming more careful about their health thus the issue of food literacy in the modern diet. In Canada, the Nutrition Facts labels are one of the key tools employed in this process to provide consumers with access to all necessary information that may help them make correct decisions about the food they eat. These labels help Canadians to broaden their food literacy knowledge, which in turn equals better way of life and improved health.
The Role of Nutrition Facts Labels in Food Literacy
In Canada, Nutrition Facts labels are issued by Health Canada and mandatory for most processed foods marketed in the country. These labels give useful information concerning nutrient density of foods, the portion size, energy value and the quantities of the nutrients. For anyone who plans to advance their food literacy, these labels help to consider the content of foods people take regularly and how it benefits their diet.
Understanding Serving Sizes
Indeed, commissions of many countries have recently redefined portions and serving sizes as one element that forms a part of food literacy. With regards to portion size, serving size gives a base for all the nutritional values as they appear on the package. To these extents, consumers are able to grasp the serving size and compare it with other size to ensure that they are taking right portions of food as guided by their nutritional needs. It does so to reduce chances of over eating while at the same time encouraging balanced meals.
Understanding Caloric Content
On the Nutrition Facts label, calories have a critical role of expressing the energy contained in a given food item. When it comes to increasing food literacy there is no way around understanding how calories work From now we shall consider. This is whereby through tracking of the calories consumed one can approximate the energy used in the body hence preventing over weight and under weight. The caloric information on labels helps to appropriately distribute food and non-food products in the course of a day.
Decoding Core Nutrients
Nutrition Facts labels have several principal ingredients which include fats; sodium; carbohydrates; fibre; sugars; protein; vitamins; and minerals. These nutrients all have their own responsibility of keeping the body healthy. For example, fat is essential for energy and tissues maintenance, yet, it is detrimental for the body to take a lot of Saturated and Trans fats as this increases the attack of the heart. Likewise, the norm for sodium intake must be measured so that its excessive amount does not lead to high blood pressure. It will enable the consumer to make better decisions by appropriate and healthy eating through understanding of these nutrient and their daily value percentages.
The % Daily Value
The % Daily Value (% DV) on Nutrition Facts labels shows how the nutrient in one serving of food can fit into a person’s total daily calorie needs for a 2,000 calorie diet. This percentage allows a consumer to establish whether a certain food is rich in nutrient or poor in nutrient. Food literacy, as a concept requires the use of this information to make a judgment on the nutritional value of foods and select for, or against foods in order to achieve certain nutritional objectives. For instance, the choice of variety of foods with a % DV close to fibre and vitamins and low % DV in foods high in sodium and fats will help to increase the likelihood of a healthy diet.
Making Informed Food Choices
The Nutrition Facts labels are integral in informing consumers regarding foods to buy and consume or avoid when shopping for foods. When people have sound knowledge about foods, they can read these labels and decide on healthier foods, differentiate between foods or select those that are more appropriate for their nutrition status. This practice is particularly useful in the case of particular diseases for instance diabetic situation whereby the constant assessment of sugar and carbohydrate products is advised.
Promoting Public Health
Nutrition Facts label education can therefore generate a positive impact in public health food consumption. In a way, such labels help people improve their dietary decision making and it allow avoiding different chronic diseases including obesity, diabetic, and cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, enhance knowledge of nutrition could bring more attentive people who pay attention to healthy eating habits and personal improvements.
Conclusion
Improving food literacy by using Nutrition Facts labels in Canada is a great move to a healthier eating culture. When people pay attention to the information given on labels, they can diet a certain way without compromises, and avoid the vices of the other extreme health damaging diets. The reason is that as food literacy increases, consumers gradually obtain the skills and knowledge to use those insights effectively to make good choices in the realm of food, thus positively influencing their quality of life.