Modern science is a mysterious thing sometimes. With the rapid developments in scientific knowledge and technology nowadays, it can be hard to keep up with all the information you might need to keep yourself healthy.
Just as technological advancements have been aplenty, the number of diseases has also increased. A huge number of diseases come from unhealthy lifestyles, and can be prevented by adjusting those parts of your lifestyle, and food in one of the most important and easily adaptable part of a modern lifestyles.
The food we eat determines everything, and can affect our sleep and mental health too. Modern diets consist of a lot of frozen and processed foods, which are not always what they seem. Since a lot of foods loose nutrients the longer they remain unconsumed, they go through processes that can be harmful for you in the long run.
Learning to read and understand what the label at the back of your food packaging says, can help you make more informed decisions about the food you eat, and thus lead a better lifestyle.
The information is usually presented for a single serving, which differs according to the food type. So, make sure you are calculating according to the number of servings you are actually consuming, instead of generalizing.
Calories are always present, but they are not an accurate representation of how healthy that food is. Some foods are calorie-dense, but also full of good nutrients for you. Calories only represent energy, and not where that energy is coming from.
The important part of the label is where all the nutrients are listed. It is important to know where these nutrients are coming from, and what they mean for your health.
Choose foods that are made up of proteins and fibery carbs, and avoid sugar-based carbs like the plague. It is also important to adjust these nutrients according to your nutritional needs, because most packaged foods calculate the %DV according to standard 2,000 or 2,500 calorie—per-day diets.
