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Community Corner

BBB Advises: Enjoy the Taste of Eating Right this National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month, and Better Business Bureau has joined with other organizations in supporting Facts Up Front, a voluntary effort that puts more prominent nutrition labeling on the front of food and beverage packing.

Simple steps can help you plan meals your family will love that will keep them healthy. Planning ahead and comparing foods will help you make healthier choices for you and your family.

Choose foods that have:

More nutrients needed for good health. Look for potassium, fiber, calcium, protein, iron and vitamins A, C and D in Facts Up Front labels.

Lower saturated fat. Choose oils for cooking and lean cuts of your favorite meats. Stick with low-fat or fat-free dairy products and add seafood a few times a week into your diet.

Less sodium. Use Facts Up Front to help identify products with lower amounts of sodium. Try the reduced versions of your favorite foods and use more herbs and spices in your cooking to add flavor.

Less sugar. To satisfy your sweet tooth, eat fruits for snacks and/or dessert. Drink water when you’re thirsty.

Calories that help you meet your daily target. Use the Facts Up Front nutrient calculator to determine your daily calorie needs and check the Facts Up Front labels to see how many calories are in a serving.

Resources:
BBB’s Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) is a voluntary self-regulation program comprising many of the nation’s largest food and beverage companies. The Initiative is designed to shift the mix of foods advertised to children under 12 to encourage healthier dietary choices and healthy lifestyles. Thirteen of the 17 companies in CFBAI are participating in the Facts Up Front program in an effort to help consumers make informed food and beverage choices. For more information on how CFBAI’s participants have improved cereals, the food most frequently advertised to children, check out the latest Cereal Snapshot.

Facts Up Front labels display how many calories and how much saturated fat, sodium and sugar is in each serving. Some labels may also provide information about other good nutrients, such as fiber and calcium. Facts Up Front is a voluntary initiative led by the Grocery Manufacturers Association, which represents the nation's leading food and beverage companies, and the Food Marketing Institute, which represents more than 1,500 food wholesalers and retailers.

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