___True
___False
2. Which Of The Following Agencies Monitor(S) Content On Nutrition Facts Labels?
A - United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
B - Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
C - Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)
D - American Dietetic Association (ADA)
E - Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
___All of the above
___A and B only
___A, B and E
3. True Or False: Food Labels Are More Important For Some People Than Others, And In Some Cases, They May Be The Difference Between Life And Death!
___True
___False
4. When Reading A Food Label, What Information Do Most Nutrition Professionals Recommend You Look At FIRST?
___Fat content
___Serving size
___Vitamin content
___Calories
5. True Or False: Food Labels List Ingredients In The Order Of Most To Least Healthful.
___True
___False
6. Food Manufacturers Are Required To List All Of The Following Vitamin And Mineral Contents On Their Packages EXCEPT: ___Vitamin A
___Vitamin C
___Vitamin D
___Calcium
___Iron
7. True Or False: The Percentage Daily Values (% DV) Found On The Right Side Of A Food Label (Which Show How Much Of Your Daily Fat, Cholesterol, Carbohydrates And More Are Provided By That Particular Food) Are Accurate For Everyone's Dietary Needs.
___True
___False
8. True Or False: Some Food Labels List Daily Nutrient Recommendations For Both 2,000- And 2,500-Calorie-Per-Day Diets. ___True
___False
9. Three Nutrients That Appear On A Nutrition Facts Label Do NOT List A % DV. Which Of The Following Is NOT One Of Them? (Select The Nutrient That Does Have A % DV.)
___Trans fat
___Sodium
___Sugars
___Protein
10. True Or False: Trans Fats Have Always Been Listed On All Food Labels.
___True
___False
11. Every Nutrition Label Lists
A - Grams of added sugars or sweeteners
B - Naturally occurring sugars
C - Hidden sugars from low- and no-calorie sweeteners
___All of the above
___A and B only
___A and C only
ANSWERS
1. True
Surprising, isn't it? One labeling loophole allows food manufacturers to list the count of ANY nutrient (from unhealthy ones like trans fats to important things like protein) as 0 as long as it contains fewer than 0.5 grams of the nutrient per serving. This can be misleading to consumers, and it explains why foods that contain oil on the ingredients list can claim to be fat-free according to the label. While a single serving of the food might not matter much, eating all of the servings over time could add up to a significant amount of that nutrient.
2. A and B only
The FDA and USDA regulate labels so that they all look the same, making it easier for consumers to compare information. They also regulate nutrition claims like "low fat," "low sodium" or "organic" on food packages. Food companies are required to comply with these national regulations.
3. True
Food labels are ESPECIALLY important for people with allergies to common foods like milk, egg, soy, wheat, nuts or shellfish. These ingredients are listed on the label in the ingredients list, and many companies print the potential allergens in bold to make them stand out. If accidentally consumed, a person with food allergies could go into anaphylactic shock and experience major medical problems—even death.
4. Serving size
One study conducted by the International Food Information Council found that only 55% of Americans are concerned with serving sizes on labels; however, serving size should be the first thing you read when determining how healthful or caloric a food really is. Reading the other numbers on a food label is nearly useless without knowing HOW MUCH of the food they're referring to. Many packaged foods may appear to be a single serving but can contain several servings according to the label. Without looking at serving size, you could be eating double or triple the calories and fat without realizing it!
5. False
The ingredients are listed in order of weight, from the heaviest to lightest. The items listed first, second and third usually make up the majority of that particular food item. You can utilize this knowledge to choose items that have more whole foods (look for healthful ingredients near the front of the list) and less sugar or fillers (choose products with additives near the bottom of the list). Some granola bars, for example, list sugar or high fructose corn syrup as the second ingredient, meaning that, by weight, added sugars are prevalent in that particular food!
6. Vitamin D
The FDA only requires companies to list calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C on their nutrition labels. Many food products CHOOSE to list other vitamins and minerals as an advertising point for their product, but this is optional. Also note that many food companies enrich their products with added vitamins and minerals to make them look more healthful than they really are; don't fall prey to this trick of disguising otherwise unhealthful foods as healthful ones. Look at the ingredients list to see if vitamins and minerals were added.
7. False
These percent daily values (% DV) are based on the needs of someone who follows a 2,000-calorie diet. If you consume fewer or greater than 2,000 calories each day, these numbers won't be exact for you. Keep this in mind as you make the best food choices for YOU, using percent daily values as general benchmarks.
8. True
If a food package has enough space, its nutrition facts label will include a footnote (below the section for vitamins and minerals). This footnote provides general information that isn't related to the food product itself. It includes the recommendations of public health experts for total daily intake of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, carbohydrates, fiber, and sodium for both 2,000- and 2,500-calorie diets. If you eat less than 2,000 calories per day, your needs for most of these nutrients are lower than the amounts listed.
9. Sodium
Sodium does have a percent daily value listed, unlike trans fat, sugars and protein; the % DV column next to these nutrients is purposely left blank. At this time, there is no baseline value for trans fat, only to eat as little as possible. A % DV is only listed on protein if the food claims to be "high in protein." As a general rule, 10% to 25% of your daily calories should come from protein. The percent daily value for sugars is left blank because it has not been determined how much one should eat in one day, although we all know that it's in our best interest to limit our intake of added sugar and sweet foods.
10. False
Food companies were required to list trans fats on labels beginning in 2007. The decision to list these harmful fats stemmed from many studies that prove its plaque-building effect on our arteries puts us at greater risk for heart disease. Since then, many companies have reduced or eliminated the use of trans fats in their products. However, any food that contains less than 0.5 gram of trans fat per serving can legally be listed as "0" on the label, so look for "hydrogenated oils" on the ingredients list—a key that trans fats ARE present in some amount, even if the label says 0.
11. A and B only
The total grams of sugar listed on a nutrition facts label includes added sugars, as well as sugars naturally present in foods. Many foods, from fruit to milk products, contain naturally occurring sugars. This is why you'll see grams of sugar present in some foods, even if the ingredients list doesn't indicate added sugar is present. Words in the ingredients list indicating a product contains added sweeteners include: sugar, evaporated cane juice, crystalline fructose, brown rice syrup, honey, fructose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, high maltose corn syrup, raw sugar, sucrose, dextrose, dextrin, molasses, fruit juice, fruit juice concentrate and sorghum.
*Quiz courtesy of sparkpeople.com