Health Topics for Nutrition

Nutrition at the supermarket

The supermarket offers many wonderful food choices. Deciding which foods are healthier than others is challenging, especially since there are so many delicious looking food products to choose from. Reading and understanding food labels is important to making wise food choices that meet your daily nutritional needs. Food labels are the most recognized and useful nutrition information tool in the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires most foods to be labeled.

Food labels identify the ingredients and how much fat, fiber, and sugar is in one serving of the food product. In addition, the labels identify the 4 nutrients most likely to be low in the diets of Americans. These are calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and iron. Picking foods high in these nutrients helps to assure that you will meet these needs.

Many food labels also display the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. The pyramid reminds us that whole grains should be the foundation of our food choices, followed by fruits and vegetables, then meat and dairy products. Sweets and oils are last.

Follow these tips to make healthier food choices at the supermarket:

• Do not shop while hungry. If you have to rush to the store before a meal, drink a large glass of water and eat a piece of fruit before you go. This will prevent you from grabbing low nutrient snack foods to cure your hunger pangs.
• Fill your grocery basket first with produce. Fresh fruits and vegetables are essential to a healthy diet. Although these foods do not have a food label, they are generally rich in vitamins A and C, high in fiber, and other healthful nutrients.
• Shop from a list. This will help reduce the temptation to buy less healthy food.
• Choose low-fat foods. Be cautious at the dairy case. Nonfat and low-fat milk products can be just as flavorful without all the extra fat and calories. Two glasses of skim milk provide twice the nutrients, no fat, and the same amount of calories as one glass of whole milk.
• Select low-fat desserts and sweets. Buy low-fat alternatives, such as angel food cake, vanilla wafers, or fig newtons. Choose smaller package sizes or pre-packaged single servings to avoid overeating.
• Beware of feature items at the end of shopping aisles. These foods are usually loaded with fat and excess calories.
• Avoid buying your favorite unhealthy foods and snacks. Take a family member or friend shopping with you who will help you stock your grocery basket with healthy foods to take home.

Last Reviewed 2005

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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