Parents who talk with their kids about food choices can help their children feel better today and stay healthy for tomorrow. As adults, we are encouraged to talk with kids about the birds and the bees and about alcohol and drugs. Talking about food choices combined with the Nutrition Facts label also makes sense. Nutrition influences growth and development.
Lots of things! Fruits and vegetables. Low-fat dairy. Whole grain products. Lean meats. Fish. Poultry. Beans, eggs, and nuts. All have a place in a healthy diet.
Good food choices need to reflect balance and variety. Based on the latest scientific evidence, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommends choosing different fruits and vegetables from one day to the next. Varying selections within food groups is also suggested. For example, dark green and orange vegetables, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables should be eaten several times a week.
Everyone in the family can benefit from knowing how to use the Nutrition Facts label found on the side of packaged foods. Like a book's table of contents, this label tells what nutrients are inside the food. Young people can use this information to make good food choices. They can make sure their bodies are getting the right combination of nutrients, such as vitamins, to work properly and be healthy. (For details on how to understand and use the Nutrition Facts label, visit www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html.)
The types and amounts of nutrients in a food aren't the only aspects of healthy eating. Counting calories matters-not only for individual foods like apple pie and broccoli but also for a person's total daily calorie intake. Consider the whole picture. Compare choices. Calculate daily needs. Make Your Calories Count is an interactive learning program that provides consumers with information to help plan a healthful diet while managing calorie intake.
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If the Nutrition Facts label says three cookies is one serving that equals 120 calories, how many calories are in seven cookies?
- 120 Incorrect.
- 280 Correct.
- 300 Incorrect.
The correct answer is 280. (Divide 120 calories by 3, then multiply the answer [40 calories per cookie] by 7). Be sure to read the label carefully. Note, too, that seven cookies are more than twice a serving.
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The Nutrition Facts label gives calories per serving information. Be careful to check the portion size. For example, five small crackers or half a cup of canned green beans can constitute just one serving. Remember, fat free doesn't mean calorie free. Lower fat items may have as many calories as full-fat versions-as fat is reduced, sometimes more sugar is added.
The Food and Drug Administration has voluntary guidelines for labeling of some raw fruits and vegetables but does not require nutrition labels on most fresh produce. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients and an important part of a healthy diet. Always follow safe handling and preparation practices. For more information about safe handling of fresh produce, visit www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/prodsafe.html.
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The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommends four and one-half cups (nine servings) of fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, canned, or dried) daily for a 2,000-calorie diet, with higher or lower amounts depending on the individual calorie counts.
Unfortunately, most children and adults are simply not eating enough fruits and vegetables. In 2005, only one-third of adults ate fruit two or more times a day.1
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Produce for Better Health Foundation, and other partners are collaborating through research, education, and environmental and policy strategies to encourage Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables. For cooking advice, nutrition information, and shopping tips, visit www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org.
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First and foremost, be a good role model. The best way to encourage healthy habits in your children is to act healthfully. Youth watch what adults are doing. Parents' habits, both good and bad, have a strong influence on their children.
Provide regular meals and healthy snacks to ensure that your children get the energy and nutrients necessary for proper growth and development. Breakfast is especially important. Research shows that breakfast consumption may improve cognitive function related to memory, test grades, and school attendance. (See "Eat a good breakfast. Have a good day.")
Let your kids help plan the family menu. Take them to the grocery store with you. They can learn to read the food labels and make smart decisions about what they put in their bodies. By practicing good nutrition habits now, youth can protect their bodies and their health in the future.
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Fast food restaurants, manufacturers of potato chips and other snacks, even large cities like New York are making news about getting rid of trans fat. Trans fat has a "bad" reputation because it raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (or "bad") cholesterol levels in the blood, increasing the risk of heart disease. It's found in processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils such as vegetable shortenings, some margarines (especially in stick form), and many crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, and baked goods.
Health experts recommend keeping intake of trans fat as well as saturated fat and cholesterol nutrients as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. Reducing trans fat does not mean cutting out fat entirely. Fats and oils are part of a healthful diet.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommends keeping total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
Here are two tips on how you and your family can control trans fat intake:
- Use the Nutrition Facts label to compare foods. As of January 2006, trans fat must now be listed with saturated fat and cholesterol on the label.
- Substitute saturated and trans fats with mono- and polyunsaturated fats like olive, canola, soybean, sunflower, and corn oils.
For more tips and facts, visit www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/transfat.html#whatis. En Español: www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/stransfa.html.
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1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fruit and vegetable consumption among adults-United States 2005. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 56(10):213-217, 2007, last referenced 3/29/07.
- Test Your Food Label Knowledge!
- Finding Your Way to a Healthier You.
- Nutrition.gov. Easy online access to Federal Government information on food and human nutrition for consumers, including nutrition assistance programs for children and low-income families.
- KidsHealth. A doctor-approved source of health information about children from before birth through adolescence; separate areas with age-appropriate information for kids, teens, and parents.
- MyPyramid. Materials for children aged 6 to 11 years, including an interactive computer game and coloring page.
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