The Art and Science of Reading Nutrition Labels
How to craft a healthy breakfast from nutrition labels
The nutrition label, also called the Nutrition Facts panel, is a standardized informational box you'll find on most packaged foods. It details the nutritional content of a serving, including calories, fats, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
These labels weren't always around. They came about in the 1970s in the United States as a response to growing public interest in understanding what exactly was in their food. Consumers wanted to make informed choices about what they were eating, and lawmakers responded by requiring clear labeling of nutritional content. This has since become a global standard, with many countries having their own variations on the label. The purpose remains the same: to empower consumers to make healthy dietary choices.
The amount of technical information contained in a standard nutrition label can be daunting and confusing for everyday consumers. As a metabolic health clinic, we like to focus on the interplay between three components: sugar (especially added sugar), dietary fiber, and protein. In the simplest terms, healthy eating choices will minimize sugar (and exclude any products with added sugar) and maximize fiber and protein. What does that look like? Let’s take an example: breakfast yogurt.
The first two labels are from plain (unsweetened) yogurt, while the second two are from vanilla (sweetened) yogurt. Notice that the flavored yogurts contain both more (added) sugar and less protein. This is a classic signature of an unhealthy tradeoff! Within the plain yogurts, notice that the first (Greek yogurt) also contains more protein and less sugar. If you’re choosing between these products in the grocery store, we would encourage you to choose the Greek yogurt first, the plain yogurt second, and the flavored yogurts not at all.
You may notice that these yogurts all have zero dietary fiber, the third component that we highlighted. Fiber is important, so to improve the nutritional content of a yogurt breakfast, we’d recommend adding granola or oats to make a healthy parfait. Again, beware of added sugars! Many granola brands add sugar to their products, which will largely negate the benefits of the added fiber. If you feel like you need some additional sweetness to your meal, try adding chopped fruits like banana, strawberry, or blueberry. These whole fruits contain naturally occurring sugars that sweeten your meal without overdoing it.
