Reading food labels brings a lot to the table

Reading the food label on foods before you buy them is like interviewing potential employees before deciding to hire them. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Why should I choose you over all the other candidates?

A food label should be designed to tell you all of the above. But you have to know how to read it.

Protein is usually fairly straightforward. The label will show you the total protein grams per serving, but doesn't break it down any more than that. Depending on your lifestyle, you may need more or less protein than what one serving contains. One gram of protein contains 4 calories, so 34 percent of the calories in this product come from protein. (24 g x 4 cal / 280 cal = 0.34)

The “percent daily values” are also displayed as a percentage of what the typical 2,000-calorie diet should consist of. Remember that your daily calorie requirements may be different based on your goals and particular needs. Any vitamins and minerals will also be listed as meeting a specific percentage of your daily needs based on that same 2,000 calorie diet.

The label also shows you recommended limits on certain substances, such as saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. We recommend limiting these ingredients because typically processed foods are loaded with these additives.

Although they are not listed here, always read the ingredients — the most abundant ingredients are listed first. If you can't pronounce any of them, we recommend looking for a different product.

Also avoid ingredients such as artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose, etc.), monosodium glutamate (MSG), genetically modified organisms (gmo), high fructose corn syrup, enriched or bleached flour and sodium nitrate. These ingredients have no positive effect on health and many could possibly cause disease and weight gain.

So with a little education and practice, you can start to make better food choices by knowing exactly what you're eating. Remember, your health is in your hands!

• Joshua Steckler and Mark Trapp are co-owners of Push Fitness, a personal training studio in Schaumburg specializing in weight loss, muscle toning and nutrition. Contact them at PushFitnessTraining.com.