Using Food Labels The Science of Food Activity
Using Food Labels The Science of Food: Activity 9 Composite image by M. S. Young © Baylor College of Medicine. Nancy Moreno, Ph. D. Barbara Tharp, MS. Center for Educational Outreach Baylor College of Medicine Bio. Ed Online
Materials Bio. Ed Online www. Bio. Ed. Online. org
Science Safety Considerations n n n Follow all instructions. Begin investigation only when instructed. Report accidents. Do not eat or drink during the experiment. Wash hands thoroughly after the investigation. Bio. Ed Online www. Bio. Ed. Online. org
What Are Food Labels? n n Have you ever noticed the nutrition information labels on packaged foods? What kinds of information do these label provide? Why are food labels important? Do food labels help you make better choices about what foods you eat? Bio. Ed Online www. Bio. Ed. Online. org
Let’s Get Started n n n Using the “Sugar Measures Up” worksheet, predict how much sugar is in a typical soft drink can. Mark your prediction on the measuring cup. Using the following information, figure out how many teaspoons of sugar are in a soft drink. n A 12 -oz can of soft drink contains 40 grams of sugar. n 1 teaspoon of sugar weighs 4 grams. Add the appropriate number of teaspoons of sugar into the measuring cup. On the measuring cup, draw a line showing the actual amount of sugar in a soft drink. Bio. Ed Online www. Bio. Ed. Online. org
Let’s Talk About It n n How many teaspoons of sugar did you add to the measuring cup? Were you surprised about the amount of sugar in one can of soft drink? How many cans would you have to drink to meet your daily total carbohydrate requirement? Do you think that would be a good way to fuel your body? Bio. Ed Online Many sodas, cookies, candies, processed snack foods, and fried foods contain large amounts of sugar or fat. www. Bio. Ed. Online. org
The Science Behind Food Labels n n Serving size: amount of food containing the amount of nutrients on the food label. Calories: the amount of energy provided by the serving size of the food. Fat, Cholesterol, Sodium: not healthy when eaten in excess. Fiber, Minerals, Vitamins: necessary for good health, they are found mostly in fruits and vegetables. Bio. Ed Online www. Bio. Ed. Online. org
Extensions n n n Investigate how much sugar is in other food products. n Chips n Cookies n Ice cream n Milk n Bananas A healthy diet contains foods that are low in fat and calorie content. Graph the amount of sugar in each food. Compare how much sugar is in “healthy” versus “junk” food. Bio. Ed Online www. Bio. Ed. Online. org
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