 What's the difference between reduced fat and low fat? Which has fewer calories? Which has more calcium? Gotta watch my salt. I have high blood pressure. So which do I choose? The pretzels or the popcorn? I love pizza. But don't they have too much fat? Mom said pick a cereal, but not one with a lot of sugar. Which one of these is more fiber? The old brand or the honeymoon? Today, healthy eating has never been easier thanks to the food label. A quick and easy tool to help you make food choices. Whatever your nutritional needs, the food label helps take the guesswork out of choosing what to eat. The food label and you. Check it out. Jim has a heart condition. I have to watch my fat. So which should we choose? Look at the claims on the front. These give you a quick description of what's inside. Can we really believe these claims? Yes, you really can. Each claim means the same for all products. And the Food and Drug Administration makes certain that companies live up to these claims. How do I know which claim is higher or lower? Just turn the jar around and look at the nutrition facts panel. The numbers speak for themselves. See, the reduced fat has more fat than the low fat. So by looking at the nutrition facts panel, we can easily compare claims. Right. The nutrition facts panel is the place to go for more information on the food you eat, starting with serving size. The serving size is based on the amount people usually eat. Look at the serving size on this package of cookies. It's three cookies. Eating more or less than the serving size will also change the number of calories and nutrients. For example, if you double the serving, you double the calories and nutrients. We'll go with this one. It has less fat. The percent daily value is your key to healthy eating. It's based on a diet of 2,000 calories a day. A high percent daily value means the food contains a lot of a nutrient. A low percent daily value means it contains a little. For example, look at the percent daily value for total fat. If you have one serving, you've eaten 5% of your 100% daily fat allowance. The percent daily value is also a tool to help you compare foods quickly and easily. So I can use the percent daily value to choose between these two frozen yogurts? Yes. Just look at the label. The serving size is the same. But the fat-free frozen yogurt has 80 calories of serving, no fat, and 10% calcium. The low fat frozen yogurt has 160 calories, 4% of your daily fat allowance and is high in calcium. So I can choose this one to lower my calories or this one for higher calcium? You got it. The choice is yours. Then I choose this one because I need more calcium. For nutrients we should eat less of like fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. It's healthier to keep your total amount for the day to less than 100% of the daily value. For nutrients we should eat more of like fiber and calcium. It's healthier to eat over 100% of the daily value. Eating the right foods is important because current research shows that what we eat affects our health. Eating more high fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, and grains may lower the risk of heart disease and some kinds of cancers. For women, eating more calcium lowers the risk for the bone disease osteoporosis. A diet low in fat may also decrease your chances for heart disease and some types of cancer. So keep your fat intake to a minimum. Whatever you choose to eat, the Nutrition Facts Panel can help you compare foods and make healthful choices quickly and easily. I'll get these honeywheat muffins. They have more fiber than the old brand. And I'll get this pizza because it has less fat. Remember, less fat doesn't always mean fewer calories. I know that, but I still love pizza and this one has lower calories. I'll get this one because it has less sugar. Well, my goal is less salt, so I'll take the popcorn. Keep in mind that if you double servings, you double calories and nutrients. Okay, I got it. So when you're choosing what to eat, remember, look at the claims on the front. These give you a quick description of what's inside. Refer to the Nutrition Facts on the side or back of the packages for detailed information. Pay attention to serving size. Remember, increasing or decreasing the amount you eat will increase or decrease calories and nutrients. Use the percent daily value to compare foods and see how a food fits into your total daily diet. And use the food label to choose healthy meals for a healthier life. The food label and you. Check it out. Now let's check out some labels. How many servings in this package? How many calories are consumed if you eat three cookies? One hundred and fifty. What is the percent daily value for saturated fat? Sixty-six percent. What's your saturated fat limit for the rest of the day? Thirty-four percent. Which has more fat? Whole milk. Which has more calcium? They're both the same. Should your daily dietary fiber intake be more or less than one hundred percent? More than one hundred percent.