A diet is the food and drink that a person consumes. It is important to have a healthy and balanced diet to provide the body with the energy and nutrients it needs to function properly and maintain health. Food labels provide important information about the products we consume, including the manufacturers details, nutrition information, ingredients, weights, and use-by and best-before dates. Here are some key points to keep in mind when reading food labels:

• Ingredients: Ingredients are listed on products in descending order by weight so that the first ingredient listed is always present in the largest amount. This can be useful when comparing products. Fats, sugars, and salt may be listed under several different names.
• Nutrition Information: Using the per 100g or per 100mL column of the nutrition information panel on food packages is the best way to compare similar products. Percentage Daily Intake (%DI) and Health Star Rating (HSR) symbols on labels can be useful to measure nutrient amounts of some products, provided they are used correctly, and their limitations are understood.
• Health Claims: Nutrition claims and health claims on food labels must meet strict guidelines. Most terms like “low sodium,” “high fiber,” “reduced fat,” and “good source of” are regulated by the FDA, and the nutrient amounts must meet specific guidelines to make these claims. However, these statements can mislead consumers about their overall healthfulness. Some terms are not yet regulated by the FDA such as “natural” or “multigrain” .
• Dietary Supplements: A dietary supplement is a product you take to supplement your diet. It contains one or more dietary ingredients, including vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and other substances. Supplements do not have to go through the testing that drugs do for effectiveness and safety. Some dietary supplements can help you get adequate amounts of essential nutrients if you don’t eat a nutritious variety of foods. However, supplements can’t take the place of the variety of foods that are important to a healthy eating routine.

It is important to be aware of the ingredients and nutritional content of the food we consume to make informed decisions about our diet. While food labels can be helpful, it is also important to keep in mind that some terms and symbols used by manufacturers can be misleading, and nutrition claims and health claims on food labels must meet strict guidelines.