0704LSN

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LESSON FOUR: FOOD LABELS

FOCUS:

In 1990 a Federal law was passed requiring almost all foods to print a nutrition

label on packages. These labels supply a wealth of information to the consume r. Stu-

dents will examine the food label in general and focus on the information concerning

servings, calories, and calories f rom fat.

OBJECTIVES:

g Students will examine food labels.

g Students will calculate the percent of calories from fat in various foods.

ACTIVITY 4A: FOOD LABELS

Read the student text “Food Labels.” It is suggested that the teacher make a class

set of this text. Through an oral question and answer session go over the components

of the food label and what each component means. Students will complete the student

worksheet “Food Labels.” Each student will need a copy of this worksheet.

ACTIVITY 4B: STATION WORK—

DETERMINING CALORIES FROM FOOD LABELS

Arrange the classroom into stations. Two similar food items will be at each station.

Perishable foods should be represented with their empty food container. Nutrition

labels for fresh produce items should be available at the g rocery. Each station needs to

be numbered and each food item needs to be lette red A or B at each station. Pair the

students. Each pair will begin at a different station. Students will move from station to

station at timed intervals. The number of stations will be dependent on class size. For

example, a class of twenty-four would need 12 stations. Two to three minutes should

be spent at each station. Each student will need a calculato r, or two calculators may be

placed at each station . A bell or whistle to signal move time will be helpful. At each

station the students will record the number of calories per serving and the number of

calories from fat per serving. They will then calculate the percent of calories from fat.

The foods at each station should be similar except in regards to fat content. The follow-

ing is a list of suggested stations:

1. Flour tortilla/Corn tortilla 2. Tuna in oil/Tuna in water

3. Canned beans/Dry beans 4. Whole milk/Skim milk

5. P retzel /Potato chips 6. Ice c ream/Frozen yogurt

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ACTIVITY 4C: SNACK FOODS AND CALORIES

Group the students into groups of four (or three if necessary). Each g roup will be

responsible for collecting food labels from a category of snack foods and calculating the

percent of calories from fat for each item. They will order the items from least percent

of calories from fat to greatest pe rcent of calories from fat. They will then produce a

visual display of their data and make a presentation of their findings to the class. Each

group should be required to analyze a minimum number of items. Students should try

to find as many items as possible with less than 30% of calories f rom fat. Some incen-

tive for this can be built into the grading policy. Suggested snack categories: chips,

chocolate candy bars, non-chocolate candy, cookies, etc.

Materials:

1.Student Text — Food Labels

2.Student Worksheet — Food Labels

3.Foods and/or containers with nutrition labels

4.Calculators

5.Student Data Sheet

6.Bell/Whistle

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HOW TO READ THE NEW FOOD LABEL

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FOOD LABEL

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UNIT

FOOD LABELS: STUDENT TEXT

When you go to a gas station you have a choice of which fuel to choose for your

car: regular, super unleaded, or premium. When you go the grocery, restaurant, or

cafeteria you have a choice of which fuel to choose for your body. Different fuels

(foods) contain different amounts of energy (calories). There are also di fferent kinds of

energy. The three main types of food ene rgy are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Carbohydrates and proteins have 4 calories per gram and fat has 9 calories per gram.

On the average Americans eat a diet which is too high in fat. The Dietary Guidelines

suggest that 55% of a person’s calories should come from carbohydrates, 15% from

protein, and 30% or less f rom fat.

Carbohydrates — 4 calories per gram

Protein — 4 calories per gram

Fat — 9 calories per gram

Does all of this sound confusing? Well, under a Federal law passed in 1990 almost all

packaged foods must have nutrition labels. The information on these labels can help

you make healthful food choices. Let’s take a look.

30%

FAT

55%

CARBO-

HYDRATE

15%

PROTEIN

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UNIT

FOOD LABELS

STUDENT WORKSHEET

Remember that an important recommendation, Example:

especially for Americans, is to keep the pe rcent

of calories from fat less than or equal to 30%.

To find the percent of calories from fat:

1)Divide the calories from fat by the total 1) calories from fat 30

number of calories. total calories 220

2)Multiply by 100 to change the decimal 2) 0.1363636 x 100 = 13.63636

into a percent. 0.1363636 = 13.63636%

3)Round to the nearest whole percent 3) 13.63636% = 14%

REFRIED BEANS 1.How much is one serving of beans? _____

2.How many calories are in one serving of beans? _____

3.How many calories from fat are in one serving of beans? _____

4.Find the percent of calories from fat in these beans. _____

5.How many calories are in one cup of beans? _____

6.What is the serving size of the peanut butter sandwich crackers? _____

7.How many calories are in one serving of crackers? _____

8.How many calories from fat are in one serving of crackers? _____

9.Find the percent of calories from fat in the crackers. _____

10.If there are six crackers per package, how many calories in one cracker? _____

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 cup (252g)

Servings Per Container about 2

Amount Per Serving

Calories 220 Calories from Fat 30

= 0.1363636

Nutrition

Facts

Serving Size 1 package (38g)

Servings Per Container 8

Calories 190

Calories from Fat 80

Amount/Serving % DV*

Total Carbohydrate 22g 7%

Dietary Fiber less than 1g3%

Sugars 4g

Protein 6g

Amount/Serving % DV*

Total Fat 9g 14%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol less than 5mg 1%

Sodium 420mg 18%

Vitamin A 0% •Vitamin C 0%•Calcium 0% •Iron 4%

PEANUT BUTTER

SANDWICH CRACKERS

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition

Facts

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size cup (128g)

Servings Per Container about 3.5

Amount Per Serving

Calories 120 Calories from Fat 20

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 2g 3%

Saturated Fat 0.5g 3%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 560mg 23%

Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%

Dietary Fiber 6g 24%

Sugars 1g

Protein 7g

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size

cup (128g)

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FOOD LABELS ANSWER KEY

1.1/2 cup or 128 grams

2.120 calories/serving

3.20 calories from fat

4.16.6=17% calories from fat

5.240 calories

6.1 package or 38 grams

7.190 calories/serving

8.80 calories from fat

9.42.1=42% calories from fat

10.31.6 or 32 calories per cracker

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Station #1

Item A____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Item B____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Station #2

Item A____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Item B____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Station #3

Item A____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Item B____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Station #4

Item A____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Item B____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Station #5

Item A____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Item B____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Station #6

Item A____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Item B____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Station #7

Item A____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Item B____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Station #8

Item A____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Item B____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Station #9

Item A____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Item B____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Station #10

Item A____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Item B____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Station #11

Item A____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Item B____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Station #12

Item A____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

Item B____________

______________________

Cal. from fat_______

Calories___________

% _______

ACTIVITY B STUDENT DATA SHEET

% indicates percent of calories from fat.