How to read nutrition labels for healthier eating

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Overweight and obesity among children is a prevailing health issue in the Philippines, with the number of overweight children tripling since 2003. 

According to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), both overweight and obesity levels in the country are already considered “high” by global standards.

One way to address this? Learn how to read nutrition labels, UNICEF and several health experts suggested. They're also urging governments to introduce front-of-package labels that can indicate whether a product is high in sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats. 

While that's not yet on the table, nutrition labels are. Let's get on the habit of reading nutrition labels so we can eat a little more healthily, manage all the things we put into our bodies, and for parents, to help them with feeding their children better.

1. Start with the serving size

As its name suggests, serving size indicates how many servings each product contains and how many grams or pieces of the food item make up a serving.

For example, Serving size of a box of cookies say “4 cookies" and one serving says has 160 calories. That means 4 cookies is equivalent to 160 calories.

If your three-year-old eats 8 cookies in a sitting, then your child is getting some 320 calories from the cookies.

A three-year-old only needs about 1,350 calories a day. Eight those 8 cookies already account for the 1/4 of your child's daily energy needs.

Checking the serving size of nutrition labels is of utmost importance because all nutritional information in there is based on a single serving.

2. Check the calories

Calories is the amount of energy we get from food and drinks, and according to Medical News Today, calories also represent "the energy used in physical activities."

The website says there are two kinds of calories: Small calories (cal), "which is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram (g) of water by 1ºC."

And large calorie (kcal or Cal), which is "the amount of energy required to raise 1 kilogram (kg) of water by 1ºC. It is also known as a kilocalorie."

"This means 1 kcal is equal to 1,000 cal," Medical News Today explains.

Here's a quick guide on what kids normally require every day, according to UNICEF:

• 1–3 years old: 920–1,000 kcal
• 4–6 years old: 1,200–1,400 kcal
• 7–9 years old: 1,400–1,800 kcal
• 10–12 years old: 1,800–2,200 kcal
• 13–18 years old: 2,000–2,600 kcal (boys) and 1,800–2,000 kcal (girls)

Eating merienda is fine, but take note: There are other meals for the day. Looking at the daily requirements and going back to the cookies example earlier, consider that serving 8 cookies, already equivalent to 320 calories, may be OK for a teenager but is may be too much for a four-year-old.

Meanwhile, below are the recommended energy requirements for adults as per the Philippine Dietary Reference Intakes: 

• 19–29 years old: 2,530 kcal (males), 1,930 kcal (females)
• 30–49 years old: 2,420 kcal (males), 1,870 kcal (females)
• 50–59 years old: 2,420 kcal (males), 1,870 kcal (females)
• 60–69 years old: 2,140 kcal (males), 1,610 kcal (females)
• 70 years and older: 1,960 kcal (males), 1,540 kcal (females)

3. Limit unhealthy fats, added sugar, and salt

Too much of anything is bad for your health — so fats, added sugar, and salt should be consumed in small amounts. They need to stay in low amounts to prevent unhealthy weight gain.

For kids, UNICEF suggests consuming snacks with 10 grams of added sugar, 200 mg of sodium per serving and that has less than 5 grams of saturated fat. 

4, Don’t just check the amount of fats, also the type

Food labels often list "calories from fat," showing how much of the total calories come from fats. 

For instance, if a snack has 160 calories, and 70 of those are from fat, you can say nearly half of the calories are from unhealthy sources. 

But the type of fat is equally important as the amount—healthy fats from nuts, fish, and seeds support brain development and energy, while unhealthy fats from fried or processed foods should be limited. 

The World Health Organization advises keeping saturated fats under 10% of daily calories and avoiding trans fats entirely for better health.

According to WHO, trans fats are unsaturated fatty acids.

5. Check the ingredients list

Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first one or two ingredients make up the largest portion of the product. If the first thing listed is "sucrose" or "corn syrup," well, those are hidden sugars and you might be wary of them, UNICEF said.

6. Look for good nutrients

All of us, especially children need fiber, vitamins, and minerals like iron and calcium for growth and health. While some snacks add these nutrients into the produce, consider choosing food items that naturally contain them — like fruits and whole grains. 

For example, kids aged 4 to 6 need 300 mg of calcium and 10 mg of iron daily. If a product provides 10-20% of these daily requirements, it can be a helpful addition to their meals.

7. Check the footnote

The bottom of the nutrition label is called footnote which explains the % Daily Value (DV), based on adults' needs.

You can still check the % DV, when thinking of your children's needs, as the % DV can help estimate nutrient amounts for their needs. For example, 0% DV for calcium means the product doesn’t provide any calcium, but children especially need calcium (about 550mg). So look at the % DV and if it doesn't meet your needs or your children's needs, then look at other meals or food items that can.

8. Try balancing the % Daily Value.

The % DV on labels shows how much one serving contributes to your daily needs for calories or nutrients. According to UNICEF, aim for 20% or more for nutrients like fiber, calcium, and iron, while keeping sugar, salt, and fat low (5% or less). If a snack has 25% DV of sugar, it may be too sweet for young kids, so look for healthier options.

— Jade Veronique Yap/LA, GMA Integrated News