<BODY>
<BR>Information for a balanced diet <BR><BR><BR><BR>The principles of healthy eating begin when the food is bought, by paying attention to the foods chosen. How can you use the information on the labelling to make the right choices?<BR><BR>· Reading the nutritional labelling<BR><BR>Choosing a less fatty or less salty cheese, pastas which are richer in fibre, water which is richer in calcium or a meal which contains a better balance of fats is easy: just refer to the nutritional labelling. This provides information about the food's energy, fat, protein and carbohydrate content. <BR><BR>Depending on the food, it may provide information about sodium, fibre, saturated and polyunsaturated fats or vitamin and mineral content, accompanied by the RDI. The recommended daily intakes (RDIs) are reference values for the labelling which are set internationally. These represent the contribution the food makes to covering average population requirements for vitamins and minerals. These intakes are easy to achieve and avoid deficiencies. Before becoming pregnant, a woman may choose foods which help to optimise her folate (vitamins B9) status to protect her foetus from a malformation called spina bifida.<BR><BR>· Refer to the ingredient list <BR><BR>Whilst the energy, fat, protein and carbohydrate contents are not always stated, the list of ingredients is always present. This provides the composition of the product, listing the ingredients in decreasing order of amount. In this way, vegetable fats or cheese at the head of a list indicates that a food is potentially fatty.<BR><BR>· Pay attention to the claims<BR><BR>According to the official texts a claim is any wording which claims, suggests or implies that a foodstuff has specific features due to its origin, nutritional properties (e.g. rich in calcium), nature (e.g.: new, fresh) method of manufacture (eg: traditional), or any other quality. <BR><BR>“Light in …”, “source of…”, “rich in …”, “with reduced …” , “guaranteed content of…”, “enriched with…” are all so-called nutritional claims. An international agreement (Codex Alimentarius) and control of application of the regulations ensure that these are true. This is valuable information when making a choice!<BR><BR>Some substances (fructo-oligosaccharides, plant sterols, omega-3 fatty acids) have been approved because of their beneficial effects on some body functions. Foods containing these belong to the family of functional or so-called “health foods”. Wording relating to these on the labelling are the health claims: “vitamin D helps towards strong bones". <BR><BR>Health claims, “calcium improves bone density" are not yet specifically regulated in France. Currently, the labelling must not attribute to a foodstuff, properties that treat or cure a human disease or describe its properties. <BR><BR>· Making an informed choice<BR><BR>Labelling can also be a help because it is also essential to preserve the pleasures in life. Choosing a fatty cheese is not such a serious crime! Just be aware of how much you eat, how often you eat it and vary the cheeses you eat. Reading the label helps you better control how much you eat!<BR>Food > Consumers<BR>Home,Anses,News,Press room,Agenda,Our topics,Food,Animal health and nutrition,Environmental health,Occupational health,Plants,Opinions and publications,Last opinions and reports,Food opinions and reports,Animal health and nutrition opinions and reports,Environmental and occupational health opinions and reports,Plants opinions,Opinions and reports in English,Bulletins and periodicals,Other publications,Subscribe to Anses newsletter,Research and reference,Research program,Laboratories and reference activities, + ,Job opportunities,Public procurement contracts,Our websites,Partners,Extranet / ExpertNet,Kid's area,Legal notice,Contact, ,<A HREF='PNS0I0.htm'>Infos on Anses</A>
<A HREF='PNS0I0.htm'>View alimentation</A>
<A HREF='PNS0I0.htm'> environnement</A>
<A HREF='PNS0I0.htm'>See travail</A>
<A HREF='PNS0I0.htm'> securite sanitaire</A>
<A HREF='PNS0I0.htm'> securite aliments</A>
<A HREF='PNS0I0.htm'>Open securite sanitaire aliments</A>
<A HREF='PNS0I0.htm'>Go to alimentation animale</A>
<A HREF='PNS0I0.htm'> expertise Influenza aviaire</A>
<A HREF='PNS0I0.htm'>Open FCO</A>
</BODY>
M
Information for a balanced diet
The principles of healthy eating begin when the food is bought, by paying attention to the foods chosen. How can you use the information on the labelling to make the right choices?
· Reading the nutritional labelling
Choosing a less fatty or less salty cheese, pastas which are richer in fibre, water which is richer in calcium or a meal which contains a better balance of fats is easy: just refer to the nutritional labelling. This provides information about the food's energy, fat, protein and carbohydrate content.
Depending on the food, it may provide information about sodium, fibre, saturated and polyunsaturated fats or vitamin and mineral content, accompanied by the RDI. The recommended daily intakes (RDIs) are reference values for the labelling which are set internationally. These represent the contribution the food makes to covering average population requirements for vitamins and minerals. These intakes are easy to achieve and avoid deficiencies. Before becoming pregnant, a woman may choose foods which help to optimise her folate (vitamins B9) status to protect her foetus from a malformation called spina bifida.
· Refer to the ingredient list
Whilst the energy, fat, protein and carbohydrate contents are not always stated, the list of ingredients is always present. This provides the composition of the product, listing the ingredients in decreasing order of amount. In this way, vegetable fats or cheese at the head of a list indicates that a food is potentially fatty.
· Pay attention to the claims
According to the official texts a claim is any wording which claims, suggests or implies that a foodstuff has specific features due to its origin, nutritional properties (e.g. rich in calcium), nature (e.g.: new, fresh) method of manufacture (eg: traditional), or any other quality.
“Light in …”, “source of…”, “rich in …”, “with reduced …” , “guaranteed content of…”, “enriched with…” are all so-called nutritional claims. An international agreement (Codex Alimentarius) and control of application of the regulations ensure that these are true. This is valuable information when making a choice!
Some substances (fructo-oligosaccharides, plant sterols, omega-3 fatty acids) have been approved because of their beneficial effects on some body functions. Foods containing these belong to the family of functional or so-called “health foods”. Wording relating to these on the labelling are the health claims: “vitamin D helps towards strong bones".
Health claims, “calcium improves bone density" are not yet specifically regulated in France. Currently, the labelling must not attribute to a foodstuff, properties that treat or cure a human disease or describe its properties.
· Making an informed choice
Labelling can also be a help because it is also essential to preserve the pleasures in life. Choosing a fatty cheese is not such a serious crime! Just be aware of how much you eat, how often you eat it and vary the cheeses you eat. Reading the label helps you better control how much you eat!
Anses
Opinions and publications