What Does Serving Size Really Mean? A Simple Guide

What Is a Serving Size? When you look at a Nutrition Facts label, one of the first things you will see is the serving size. It may say: The numbers underneath the serving size are generally based on that stated amount. This makes serving size one of the most important parts of a nutrition label … Read more

Whole Foods vs. Processed Foods: What Is the Difference?

What Does “Processed Food” Mean? The word processed can make a food sound less healthy than it really is. But almost all food that we eat has been changed in some way before it reaches our plate. Washing vegetables, freezing fruit, cooking rice, grinding wheat into flour, pasteurizing milk, and making yogurt are all forms … Read more

How to Read a Nutrition Label: A Simple Guide to Food Labels

Why Nutrition Labels Matter Walking through a supermarket can mean choosing between dozens of similar products. Two cereals may look almost identical. Two yogurts may have similar packaging. Two breads may both describe themselves as “whole grain.” The front of a package can give you useful information, but it doesn’t always tell you the full … Read more

What Is Dietary Fat? A Simple Guide to Fat in Food

What Is Dietary Fat? Dietary fat is one of the three major macronutrients found in food, alongside protein and carbohydrates. Fat is found naturally in many foods, including nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, fish, eggs, dairy products, and meat. It is also used as an ingredient in many foods. Despite its reputation, dietary fat is not … Read more

What Are Carbohydrates? A Simple Guide to Carbs in Food

What Are Carbohydrates? Carbohydrates are one of the three main macronutrients found in food, alongside protein and fat. They are found naturally in many foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, lentils, milk, and some dairy products. Carbohydrates are often discussed as if they were one type of food. But carbohydrates are actually a broad group … Read more

What Is Fiber? A Simple Guide to Fiber in Food

What Is Fiber? Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found naturally in plant foods that the human body does not fully digest. It is found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds. But “not fully digested” does not mean fiber is unimportant. Different types of fiber can interact with … Read more

What Is Protein? A Simple Guide to What Protein Does in Food

What Is Protein? Protein is one of the three major macronutrients found in food, alongside carbohydrates and fat. It is found in many foods, including eggs, fish, meat, dairy products, beans, lentils, soy foods, nuts, seeds, and grains. But protein is more than a number on a nutrition label. To understand protein properly, it helps … Read more