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Fittest Loser Tip of the Week: Understanding nutrition labels

As you and your family strive to eat healthier, it's important to be aware of what's in the food you're consuming. The best way to know is to read the nutrition facts on food labels.

The following information on labels will help you understand how much is in a portion and how this compares to recommended intake:

Serving size - The serving size lists the recommended amount to be eaten by a single person. The rest of the nutrition facts are based on this amount.

Calories and calories from fat - Especially important if you're trying to lose or maintain weight, these numbers tell you how many calories are in each serving and where it's coming from.

Percent daily values - Based on the recommended consumption of 2,000 calories a day, this value indicates how the food product compares to recommended amounts.

When reading ingredients on a product label, keep in mind that ingredients are listed in descending order. Ingredients with the greatest amount will be listed first, followed by ingredients used in lesser amounts.

Look out for more weekly wellness tips from Assurance, a proud sponsor of the Fittest Loser.

• Jill Micklow is a Wellness Consultant on the Employee Benefits team at Assurance, a Top 50 U.S. insurance brokerage headquartered in Schaumburg, IL. She brings Assurance's passion for "minimizing risk and maximizing health" to clients nationwide by helping identify specific health and wellness goals and then tailoring wellness programs for short and long-term success.

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