So readers… you are here…  Sorry for the nutrition biology lesson, but this is VERY IMPORTANT!!!

The body is made up of several types of nutrients which are needed to sustain life.

Macronutrients and Micronutrients

Macronutrients are nutrients which the body needs in a large quantity.  They are:

Carbohydrates (Fiber, Sugars and Starches)

Lipids (Fats)

Proteins (Amino Acids – there are 20 essential amino acids.  They are ALL important and there is NO SUCH THING as a good or bad amino acid)

Water

Micronutrients are nutrients which the body needs in a smaller quantity.  Don’t be fooled, there are some vitamins and minerals that are needed in more abundance than others, but they are all classified as micronutrients.  They are:

Minerals (Major and Minor – all found in the periodic table and most interact with vitamins)

Vitamins (Water Soluble and Fat Soluble)

There are a ton of informative and interactive websites out there that explain how the labels on food work and the best way in which to read the label.

The Food and Drug Administration is the entity which comes up with the layout and components that are included on the nutrition labels.  There are several informative links on the FDA website that are helpful to consumers, such as food recalls, changes to food legislation, allergen information and even safe food handling practices.

So without getting into a wall of text, these labels are great for foods which are packaged by brands or companies; however, this does not necessarily work  for those individuals who grow or produce their own food in their home or on their property ( ***there are some seed manufacturers or packagers which do include some, but not all of the nutrition information with their seed packets).