LIVING WITH DIABETES: PACKAGED FOOD LABELS

Apr
28
2009

Posted by: admin in Categories: Diabetes.
Using Tags: Diabetes

Many manufacturers now provide nutritional information on food packages. These may be useful in planning the diet for the person with diabetes.

Here are two examples of package labels:

1. An individual serving may be described.

Nutriment composition per serving one serve as described on packet

Protein 3 g

Fat 2g

Carbohydrate 15 g

Kcals 90

Kjoules 378

From this label one serve would be equal to one carbohydrate exchange.

1. The description may refer to a certain amount of the food. Nutrient composition per 100 g of prepared food.

Protein 4g

Fat 6g

Carbohydrate 22 g

Kcals 158

Kjoules 664

From this label l00 g of food would provide approximately 1 1/2 carbohydrate exchanges. If an average serve weighs approximately 30 g, then it will provide 1/2 carbohydrate exchange.

This information helps you work out the number of carbohydrate exchanges per serve. Not all foods labeled in this way are suitable for regular use as they may have high sugar content. It is also important to read the ingredients labeling. Ingredients by law are listed in decreasing order. Inclusion of ingredients such as sugar, glucose, dextrose, and honey in large amounts may mean that the product should not be used under normal circumstances.