• Ingredients on the Nutrition Facts label are listed in descending order by weight – the closer they are to the beginning of the list, the more of that ingredient is in the food.
• Beverages such as lemonade and sports drinks usually have less sugar when compared to the same quantity of regular soda.
• Larger amounts of the same sweetened beverage have more calories, so if you want to consume a particular sweetened beverage, consider selecting a smaller container.
• Even though juices contain some nutrients, juices (even 100% juices) can contribute just as many calories to your diet as other sweetened beverages.
• Sweetened beverages like soda typically contain little or no nutrients.

Understanding Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates include total sugars (naturally present and added), dietary fiber, and sugar alcohols. The Daily Value for total carbohydrates is 275 grams (based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet). Although most people consume enough carbohydrates, many people consume too much added sugars and refined starches and not enough fiber.

About Sugars

In terms of their chemical structure, sugars are the smallest and simplest type of carbohydrate. They are easily digested and absorbed by the body. There are two main types of sugars, and both types are found in many foods. Sugars that are composed of one molecule are called monosaccharides. They are small enough to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream. They include fructose, glucose, and galactose. Sugars that contain two molecules of sugar linked together are called disaccharides. They are broken down in your body into single sugars. They include:

• Sucrose (table sugar) = glucose + fructose
• Lactose (milk sugar) = glucose + galactose
• Maltose (malt sugar) = glucose + glucose

Focus on Starches

Starches are made up of many glucose molecules linked together into long chains. Starches are found naturally in foods such as vegetables (e.g., potatoes, carrots), grains (e.g., brown rice, oats, wheat, barley, corn), and beans and peas (e.g., kidney beans, garbanzo beans, lentils, split peas). Refined starches (e.g., corn starch) can be added to foods during processing or cooking as thickeners and stabilizers during processing or cooking.

About Dietary Fiber

Fiber, or dietary fiber, is a type of carbohydrate made up of many sugar molecules linked together. But unlike other carbohydrates (such as starch), dietary fiber is bound together in such a way that it cannot be readily digested in the small intestine. Dietary fiber is found in bran, whole grain foods (such as whole grain breads, cereals, pasta, and brown rice), fruits, vegetables, beans and peas, and nuts and seeds. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that at least half of total grains consumed be whole grains and that people limit refned starches and refned grains.

Naturally-Occuring Sugars

Sugars are found naturally in many nutritious foods and beverages. Naturally occurring sugars are found in a variety of foods, including:

• Fruits (fresh, frozen, dried or canned in 100% fruit juices)
• 100% fruit juices
• Dairy products
• Vegetables

Added Sugars

Added sugars are sugars added to foods and beverages during processing and preparation. Added sugars are often found in foods such as:

• Sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soft drinks, sweetened coffee and tea, energy drinks, alcoholic beverages, and flavored beverages
• Baked goods, such as cakes, cookies, pies, doughnuts, sweet rolls, and pastries
• Candy
• Dairy desserts, such as ice cream, other frozen desserts, and puddings
• Jellies, jams, syrups, and sweet toppings

What Sugars Do

Sugars provide calories and supply energy for the body. Each gram of sugar provides 4 calories. Your body breaks down sugars into glucose. Glucose in the blood (often referred to as blood sugar) is the primary energy source for your cells, tissues, and organs. Your body can use this glucose immediately, or it can store small amounts in your liver and muscles to use when needed later.

Sugars (both naturally occurring and those added to foods and beverages) increase the risk of cavities (also known as “dental caries”). In addition, consuming high levels of added sugar from products such as packaged foods and beverages can contribute to excess calories with little nutritional benefit. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting calories from added sugars to less than 10% of total calories per day.

Identifying Added Sugars

The amount of total sugars listed on the Nutrition Facts label includes those that occur naturally in the food or beverage as well as any added sugars. Added sugars are used to sweeten, preserve, or improve the functional attributes of food, such as viscosity, texture, body, color, and browning capability. Added sugars are included on the ingredient list on food and beverage packages. Some examples are: brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose sweetener, fruit juice concentrates, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, malt syrup, maple syrup, molasses, pancake syrup, raw sugar, sucrose, trehalose, and turbinado sugar.

All About Sodium

Sodium is an essential nutrient and is needed by the human body in relatively small amounts (provided that substantial sweating does not occur). Sodium maintains a balance of body fluids, keeps muscles and nerves running smoothly, and helps certain organs work properly.

As a food ingredient, sodium has multiple uses, such as for curing meat, baking, thickening, retaining moisture, enhancing flavor (including the flavor of other ingredients, like making sweets taste sweeter), and as a preservative.

Salt and Sodium Defined

The words “salt” and “sodium” are often used interchangeably, but they do not mean the same thing. Salt (also known by its chemical name sodium chloride) is a crystal-like compound that is abundant in nature and is used to flavor and preserve food. Sodium is a mineral and one of the chemical elements found in salt.

Most people in the U.S. eat too much salt. Salt contains sodium, and too much sodium can raise blood pressure – which can have serious health consequences if not treated.

• The daily recommendation for sodium is less than 2,300 mg per day. (and less than1,800 mg per day for children ages 9 through 13).

• Americans consume on average 3,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day, which is nearly 50% more than the 2,300 mg limit recommended by federal guidelines for people 14 years and older. Recommended limits for children 13 and younger are even lower.

Identifying Sodium

The Nutrition Facts label on food and beverage packages is a useful tool for making healthy dietary choices and monitoring how much sodium is in a food. Many restaurant websites also have nutrient information for their menu items.

The FDA requires nutrition information about a food that has a nutrient claim, such as “low sodium.” In addition, in the future, the FDA will require certain nutrition information, including information on sodium, on standard menu items in many restaurants and similar retail food establishments.

Most of the sodium consumed by Americans comes from the following foods:

• Deli meat sandwhiches
• Pizza
• Burritos and tacos
• Soups
• Savory snacks
• Poultry
• Pasta dishes
• Burgers
• Egg dishes and omelets

NOTE: Keep in mind that nutrition sources may vary. Although scientists don’t always agree, they must have data to support what they report. The key point to remember is that sodium comes mostly from processed foods and restaurant foods, not from what is added at the table.

Reading Food Labels for Sodium

High levels of sodium may seem “hidden” in packaged food, particularly when a food doesn’t “taste” salty – but sodium is not hidden on the Nutrition Facts label! All you need to do is read the label.

• The Nutrition Facts label lists the Percent Daily Value (%DV) of sodium in one serving of a food.
• The DV for sodium is 2,300 mg, and less for people under 14 years old.
• One package of food may often contain more than one serving. So, if a package contains two servings and you eat the entire package, you have consumed twice the amount of sodium listed on the label (in other words, you’ve consumed double the %DV).

Understanding %DV for Sodium

Use the Percent Daily Value (%DV) to compare sodium in different products. The %DV tells you whether a food contributes a little or a lot to your total daily diet.

• 5% DV or less of sodium per serving is low.
• 20% DV or more of sodium per serving is high.