Nutrition facts tables and claims provide important information to assist you in making healthy food choices. The Nutrition Facts table lists calories and 13 core nutrients. Look for information on serving sizes, calories and nutrients. Pay particular attention to the kind of fat the product contains and the amount of fat per serving.
Remember to compare the amount shown in the Nutrition Facts table to the amount that you eat. You may be eating more than you realize.
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% Daily Value is the percentage of the nutrient or mineral that Health Canada recommends that the average Canadian should consume each day .
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The calories in the food are based on the serving size stated at the top of the table. Fat provides 9 calories per gram. Carbohydrate and protein provide 4 calories per gram.
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When a food contains 2 grams or less of saturated fats and trans fats combined, it is "low in saturated fatty acids".
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When a food contains less than 0.2 grams of trans fats per serving, it is considered "free of trans fatty acids".
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When a food contains 0.3 grams or more of Omega-3 fats per serving, it is considered a "source of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids".
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Protein helps build and repair body tissues and it helps build antibodies. Fish is high in protein. |
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What are Nutrition Claims?
A Nutrition Claim highlights a nutrition component of a food. Look for one of these words: free, low, less, more, reduced, lower, very high, light/lite, source of, high source of, good source of, excellent source of.
Terms such as "free", "low", or "'reduced" can indicate that a food has less of a particular nutrient, such as calories, fat, saturated fat or sodium. Choosing foods with these claims can help you to moderate your intake of certain nutrients to benefit your health. For example, some fat is necessary for energy and helps your body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. However, consuming too much fat or too much of the wrong types of fat, such as saturated fat and trans fat, could lead to the development of health issues such as heart disease or stroke.
The Canadian Food and Drug Regulations define what nutrition claims can be made on a label or advertisement. There are two types of Nutrition Claims:
• Nutrient Content Claims can tell you about one nutrient in the product, such as fat or Omega-3.
• Health Claims can indicate how these foods can affect your health.
Sources:
Canadian Diabetes Association and Dietitians of Canada, Healthy Eating is in Store for You – Nutrition Labelling Education Centre. Consumer Fact Sheets. 2005. http://hesy.dietitians.ca/labelling_resources.asp
Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Nutrition Labelling, Nutrition Claims and Health Claims, January 1, 2003. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/nutrition-pagee.shtml
Health Canada, "Nutrition Labelling…Get the Facts", January 2003.
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