ESL Podcast 423 - Reading Food Labels
food label - the written information on a bottle or box of food that tells one the nutritional value of that food
According to this food label, one slice of bread has 130 calories.
nutritionist - a person whose job is to help people eat better so that they get the nutrition they need, often so that they can lose or gain weight or lower their cholesterol or blood pressure
Each week, Maranda meets with a nutritionist who is helping her lose weight by changing what she eats.
serving size - the amount of a particular food that should be eaten by one person at one time
The serving size for this ice cream is just cup, but I usually eat much more than that.
gram - a unit of measurement for weight; 0.03527 ounces
How many grams of salt will I need to bake that bread?
fat - the oily part of foods; the greasy part of animal bodies
Whole milk has much more fat than skim milk does.
trans fat - the most unhealthy kind of fat that a person can eat because it increases one's cholesterol
Many food companies are trying to lower the amount of trans fat in their products.
sodium - salt; the chemical element Na
Having too much sodium in our diet can increase our blood pressure.
through the roof - very high; with a very large number; extreme
The price of corn went through the roof when many corn farms were damaged by the bad weather.
carbohydrate - the sugary part of foods that is used by the body to make energy
Try to eat more good carbohydrates, like the ones found in whole-wheat bread and pasta, and less of the bad carbohydrates, like the ones found in soda and candy.
low-fat - with only a small amount of fat
Do you buy regular yogurt or low-fat yogurt?
calorie - a measurement of the amount of energy in food
An apple has about 100 calories.
reduced-fat - with less fat than usual; with less fat than the regular variety of a food product
Do you make these crackers in a reduced-fat version?
cereal - a food that is normally eaten for breakfast, with small, dry pieces made from grains that are put in a bowl with milk and eaten with a spoon
Do you want to put some raisins or bananas on top of your cereal?
percent daily value - the percentage of the recommended amount of something that people are supposed to eat every day that is provided by a particular food
This bread has a percent daily value of 20% for Vitamin A.
nutrient - vitamins, minerals, and other parts of food that one needs to eat to be healthy and strong
Fresh fruits and vegetables have a lot of nutrients.
dietary fiber - the part of food that one eats but that cannot be used by the body, which keeps food moving through one's body quickly
Eating a salad every day can help you get enough dietary fiber.
sugar - sucrose or glucose; the sweet-tasting part of food
Some types of soda have more than 10 teaspoons of sugar in just one can!
to take (something) - to be able to tolerate something; to be able to continue doing or listening to something without becoming angry or upset
The neighbors' son is learning how to play the drums, but I can't take the noise anymore!
the best of intentions - the desire to do something well or to do something that will be helpful, good, or useful
I know she has the best of intentions and wants to help, but really she's making things more difficult.