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Reading Food Labels

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Cholesterol Sodium Protein

Cholesterol Sodium Protein

Cholesterol Sodium Protein

Vincent Iannelli, MD
Like fat, you should limit the amount of cholesterol and sodium in your child's diet.

If you consider that 5% DV or less is low and 20% DV or more is high, you can see that the food label pictured above is high in both cholesterol and sodium.

A good way to find foods that are low in sodium is to read labels and choose those foods that have less than 140 mg of sodium per serving or that are labeled as being 'low in sodium' or 'very low in sodium.'

To find foods that are low in cholesterol, look for foods with less than 20 mg of cholesterol per serving.

Protein

Many of today's popular diets, such as Atkins and the South Beach Diet, put an emphasis on eating a lot of protein and avoiding carbs. However, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, protein should only 'make up about 10 to 12 percent of each day's calories.' And keep in mind that most children in America get more protein than they need in their diet, especially if they eat meat, eggs, milk products, and a variety of plant based foods, such as beans, nuts, and soy products.

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