Fact labels have been on food products for the past 20 years. They were put in place by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to allow us make sound decisions on what we buy, as well as knowing the Percentage Daily Value (%DV) of vitamins and nutrients in foods. Using the Percentage Daily Values can help to maintain heart health.
High blood pressure is a concern to all of us, especially when considering that one in three people have high blood pressure, and this can lead to heart disease. Eating too much fat, salt, and high cholesterol foods raise our chances of developing high blood pressure and heart disease. Read the food labels to determine if a food is too high. It should read 5% or lower in the daily food value and no higher than 20%.
Keep in mind that you should keep a total of your daily intake of fat, sodium, and cholesterol. You will want to keep the suggested values below 100%. This will assure that you are not eating more than you should, as this can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. Keep in mind also that the 100% suggested daily values on food labels are based on a diet of 2,000 calories per day.
To make it easier if your daily intake is over 2,000 calories per day, these guidelines will help you figure out your daily needs. Sodium intake should not be more than 2400 milligrams per day, and you should consume no more than 65 grams of fat per day. Finally, take in no more than 300 grams of cholesterol per day. These guidelines will help you to maintain optimum heart health. If you haven’t already, start reading the food labels at the grocery store before purchasing. It really makes a difference.
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