What's In Your Food?

How much added sugar?

  • For every 4 grams of sugar on a food label there is 1 teaspoon of sugar in the food (fruit is one exception and is okay because it is natural sugar accompanied with fiber and other nutrients)
  • Some tea and soda beverages contain 5 teaspoons per cup - but they often come in containers that are 2 or more cups - if you look at our picture you will see you get 10 teaspoons of sugar per bottle of tea!

What about excess salt?

  • Read the labels of foods that are in boxes, cans, the grocer’s freezer, jars, the deli - any prepared food.
  • Every 500 mg of sodium is equal to about a quarter teaspoon or one third of a day’s supply for most people.

How much fat?

  • Read the nutrition facts label for prepared foods and restaurant/fast food meals (find those online).
  • For every 4.6 grams of fat you eat, you consume about a teaspoon of fat.

 

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Stephanie Ronco

Stephanie Ronco has been editing for Food and Health Communications since 2011. She graduated from Colorado College magna cum laude with distinction in Comparative Literature. She was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa in 2008.

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