Nutrition Labels & Exchanges

Nutrition labels help you understand how any food – including your favorites – can fit into a healthful diet that includes a variety of foods in sensible amounts. This article will explain the Nutrition Facts panel and diet exchanges are useful tools for making food choices that match your nutrition goals.

The label can help you understand how any food - including your favorites - can fit into a healthful diet that includes a variety of foods in sensible amounts.

Two columns of nutrition information within the Nutrition Facts panel may be displayed on certain Kraft products with smaller-size packages or products that require preparation.

Serving Size

Serving size is a typical portion, not the recommended amount. Some people may need to eat more or less based on their specific needs for calories and other nutrients. Serving size is based on government labeling regulations. All of the nutrient information on the Nutrition Facts panel about the food relates to this serving size.

Calories
To maintain or improve your weight, balance the food you eat with physical activity. Aim for 30-60 minutes of accumulated physical activity each day. Every-day activities such as walking, gardening and cleaning contribute to daily activity and burn off calories.

Total Fat
Americans are advised to reduce (not eliminate) fat in their diets. Some fat in the diet is absolutely necessary for good health.

Trans Fat
New to the food label, trans fat information will be listed on Nutrition Facts panels by January 1, 2006. The recommendation is to keep trans fat intake as low as possible while eating a nutritionally adequate diet.

Cholesterol 
For some people, lifestyle factors that may contribute to the development of high blood cholesterol levels are being overweight and inactive, having too much saturated and trans fats in the diet and, to a lesser extent, too much dietary cholesterol.

Sodium
Sodium is an essential nutrient found in varying quantities in nearly all foods. Nutrition Facts labels are based on a common recommendation of 2400 milligrams of sodium per day. Factors such as climate, physical activity and health status can affect an individual’s sodium needs.

Carbohydrates 
Total carbohydrate gives the overall carbohydrate content of a food. It includes starches, sugars and dietary fiber in one serving.

Dietary Fiber 
Health professionals recommend 21 to 38 grams of dietary fiber each day for adults based on age and gender. Food sources of fiber are whole grain breads and cereals, dry beans and peas, nuts, fruits and vegetables.

Sugars
Sugars on the Nutrition Facts panel include naturally occurring sugars such as fructose in fruit and lactose in dairy products as well as added sugars such as sucrose (table sugar) and high fructose corn syrup.

Vitamins & Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are essential "micronutrients" needed for optimal health and disease prevention. Look on the Nutrition Facts panel of foods for these "hard-to-get" nutrients.

Exchanges

Exchanges are a guide to food choices for people who follow a meal planning program for diabetes or weight management.

Exchange values are given for Healthy Living Recipes on this website. Exchange values are based on the recipe serving size. The following exchange lists and abbreviations are used:

• Starch
• Fruit
• Milk (FF = Fat Free; RF = Reduced Fat; W = Whole)
• Carbohydrate = Other Carbohydrates
• Vegetable
• Meat (VL = Very Lean; L = Lean; MF = Medium Fat; HF = High Fat)
• Fat

Dietary Exchanges based on Choose Your Foods: Exchange Lists for Diabetes © 2008 and Dietary Exchanges based on Exchange Lists for Meal Planning © 2003 by the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association. A registered dietitian (RD) or certified diabetes educator can help you understand how exchanges for specific food choices can fit into your personal meal plan.