New Delhi: In the present times when one and all of us have made health our top priority, a question that arises from the concept of consuming the right food through packaged products is – how many of us do this while buying groceries? Pay attention to labels and other foods? Usually, we would scan the brand, price and if we have extra seconds, we look at the expiry date. However, nutrition stickers usually go unnoticed.
There are nutrition stickers on all foods, some elaborate, others basic, but more often than not we skip looking at them. Or even if we do, the jargon confuses most of us. And this is especially true for packaged poultry foods. Hardly anyone reads their labels, as most people are used to buying the unpacked versions anyway. Kavita Devgan, author, nutritionist and proponent of the right to protein, explains why it is important to go through nutrition labels.
“It is absolutely essential to get label wise – to be able to compare products more easily and select better foods according to their nutritional value,” says Kavita.
She adds, “It is especially helpful when one needs to follow a special diet such as low sodium foods (to prevent high blood pressure) or high fiber diet (to treat constipation). ) or a high protein diet (for more energy and building muscle). Reading labels correctly is an excellent skill that makes a tremendous addition to a healthy lifestyle, especially in these unprecedented times where you need to choose your food and especially your protein carefully. “
So, what should you watch?
Below are some important things to check out for packaged protein foods:
• serving size: Always check the serving size indicated on the packing as this will give you an idea of how much you need to eat and how many calories and other nutrients it will give you for that serving size.
• Calories: As far as calorie intake is concerned, the simple principle to follow is that the amount we eat in a day is equal to or less than the amount we burn. Typically, for a sedentary worker, this is about 1600 calories for a woman and about 2000 calories for a man. So, do your calculations accordingly.
• Protein: The average protein requirement for most people is between 50 and 75 grams, (higher for those who exercise). So one should calculate accordingly. You can make sure you’ve calculated your average daily protein intake with Right to Protein’s Protein-O-Meter tool.
• total fat: It is important to understand that there are 9 calories in 1 gram of fat. Therefore, if your meal has 10 grams of fat, it contains 90 calories from fat. It is best to keep calories from fat to less than 25 percent of total calories. Plus, it’s not enough to just look at the total fat, it’s the breakup that matters. Cholesterol, saturated fat and trans fat should be watched because they have a plaque-building effect on the arteries.
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Reading labels can help you choose animal protein (livestock) sources that are:
• Unprocessed, low saturated fat, free of antibiotics, hormones, chemicals, and pesticides, and grown in safe, eco-friendly conditions with the latest technology (you don’t ingest toxins along with the goodness of protein) .
• Make sure to have (really) high quality protein from a good source that is good for you. What the chicken eats is what we eat in the end too. Simply put, the feed they are being given determines their actual protein quality. The combination of corn and soybeans as a feed works very well as it provides complete protein to the poultry. Soy fed products have a better nutritional profile due to the improved amino acid profile and amino acid digestibility of soybean meal, so look for this information on the label. In addition, soy protein is low in fat, free of saturated fat and cholesterol and thus an ideal protein source to boost the nutrient density of the poultry you are eating.
In short, reading the label will help you make an informed choice. Explore the recently introduced India’s first feed label on products – Soya Fed. This will help you identify the protein source of poultry, livestock and fish and help determine the quality of protein consumed.
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