Nutrition labels can feel like a maze of numbers and ingredients, but with a little know-how, they become one of the most powerful tools for improving your health. Whether you’re managing diabetes, trying to lose weight, or just aiming to eat smarter, reading labels with a trained eye helps you avoid blood sugar surprises and build balanced meals.

🧾 Start With the Serving Size

At the very top, check the serving size and # servings per container. All the numbers that follow are based on that amount, not the entire package. Additionally, the percentages % shown are usually based on a 2000 calorie diet, which may be different than your personal needs.

Trained-eye tip:
Many snack-sized items list multiple servings per package. If you’re eating the whole thing, you’ll need to multiply the calories, carbs, and other numbers accordingly.

🍽️ Check the Total Carbohydrates (and Know What’s Included)

Look for:

• Total Carbohydrates: Includes all carbs, including sugar, fiber, and starch

• Dietary Fiber: Slows glucose absorption and helps with digestion

• Added Sugars: These spike blood sugar quickly and should be minimized, ideally as close to zero as possible!

Trained-eye tip:
Fiber doesn’t significantly raise blood sugar, so subtract it from total carbs to get your net carbs, which is a more accurate reflection of how that food may affect glucose.

Net Carbs = Total Carbs - Fiber - Sugar Alcohol

🔍 Pay Attention to Ingredients, Not Just Numbers

The ingredients list is often more revealing than the numbers on the front of the box.

Look out for:

• Added sugars under names like “maltose,” “cane juice,” or “corn syrup”

• Added sugars may also come from honey, agave syrup, or juice concentrate

• Highly processed oils (e.g., soybean, palm oil, hydrogenated oils)

• Long lists of preservatives or fillers

Trained-eye tip:
Ingredients are listed in order of weight. If sugar or refined flour is one of the first three ingredients, it’s not the best option.

⚖️ Watch Calories and Fat in Context

Calories aren’t the enemy, but if your goal is weight loss or blood sugar control, they’re still part of the picture.

• Calories per serving: A tool for portion awareness

• Types of fat: Prefer unsaturated fats (e.g., olive oil, nuts) over saturated or trans fats

• Avoid trans fats completely: Even small amounts raise cardiovascular risk

Trained-eye tip:
If a product lists “0 grams trans fat” but includes “partially hydrogenated oils” in the ingredient list, it still contains trans fats. This labeling loophole is legal if under 0.5 grams per serving.

💧 Sodium Can Sneak Up on You

Processed foods often contain surprising amounts of sodium, even when they don’t taste salty. Too much sodium raises blood pressure and increases cardiovascular risk.

Trained-eye tip:
Aim for fewer than 2300 mg of sodium per day and ideally closer to 1500 mg if you have high blood pressure.

✅ The “Best” Label Sections to Prioritize

For most people focused on metabolic health, these sections of the label are most important:

• Serving size

• Total and added sugars

• Fiber content

• Trans fat

• Ingredient list

• Net carbs (especially for those using CGM or managing insulin)

📅 Want Hands-On Help Reading Labels?

Reach7 offers grocery store tours and nutrition education to help you decode real-world food labels with confidence. Whether it’s choosing snacks, building better meals, or avoiding hidden sugars, we’ll guide you every step of the way.

Book your visit today and learn to shop smarter, label by label.