Be aware of food health claims

A look through your grocery cart is sure to reveal packages of food touting one benefit or another. Instead of educating Canadians and helping them make healthy choices, the multitude of claims can be overwhelming and even confusing.

"You need to understand what the claims really mean to be able to make an informed purchase," says Carol Dombrow, a registered dietitian with the Heart and Stroke Foundation."Why not make it a priority to become a well-informed customer?"

The first thing to understand is the difference between a health claim and a nutrition claim. A health claim, according to Health Canada, is the implication that a certain ingredient has an effect on the consumer's health. A nutrition claim highlights a particular nutrient. This includes claims noting that the food is a good source of a particular positive nutrient (such as "excellent source of fibre"), or that it doesn't include certain nutrients that some Canadians should consume less of or need to avoid (such as claiming that certain product is low-sodium, or doesn't include allergens such as peanuts). But claims are only a part of the story.

"Looking at a claim without looking at the Nutrition Facts table is like reading the summary of a book," adds Carol. "It's a good start, but it's only the highlights."

A claim should serve as an invitation to learn more. The Nutrition Facts table includes the important information that you need to know to make an informed purchase. Food manufacturers are required to put certain information about their product on the label including calories and 13 core nutrients. The nutrition label gives you a snapshot of the food's nutrition value based on a diet of 2,000 calories. It helps you compare similar products and make informed choices about the foods you buy.

Here are some key tips to help you navigate your way through the nutrition facts table:

1. When you compare products, make sure the serving sizes are similar.

2. If you eat two times the serving size, you will get double the listed calories and nutrients.

3. The % Daily Value is based on recommendations for a healthy diet. It will help you understand what the nutrient values mean. If a food contains 230 mg of sodium and the daily value for sodium is 2300 mg, then this food is providing 10% of this amount.

Look for a higher % Daily Value for nutrients such as fibre, vitamin A and C, calcium and iron.

Look for a lower % Daily Value for fat, saturated and trans fat, cholesterol and sodium.

4. Choose foods with 2 grams or more of fibre per serving. Diets high in fibre can lower your risk of heart disease.

The Health CheckTM symbol on participating products makes it easier for you to make wise food choices when grocery shopping. Now's the time to Make Health Last. For more information, including personalized nutrition tips, visit makehealthlast.ca.