GDA stands for Guideline Daily Amounts. In other words,
GDAs are the total, or one hundred per cent (100%), of
the recommended number of calories, and
the recommended maximum amounts of fat, saturates,
sugar and salt that an average adult should eat in one day .
14 INTRODUCING GDAs
The fi gures you see on the GDA labels represent the
amount of calories, fat, saturates, sugar and salt in grams
that an individual food portion contributes towards your
total GDA – for one day . The GDA label also shows the
number of calories or grams per food portion and as a
percentage of your total daily allowance – for one day . You
can use either the grams or the percentages to help you
keep a track of what you ’ re eating.
Because all those numbers on your GDA label have
been turned into percentages, all the hard work has been
done for you. You can see at a glance how much of your
Guideline Daily Amounts are in a portion of food or drink.
HOW TO USE GDA s TO CHOOSE WHAT
TO EAT
You ’ re in the supermarket, you ’ re in a hurry, and you can ’ t
decide whether to buy a ready - made pizza or a ready - made
pasta dish. Which one would the kids prefer? And which
one will be better for you on your diet?
I can ’ t answer for your kids! But if you ’ re watching the
calories, look fi rst at the GDA label, to check, compare and
choose.
CHECK the calories
You can see straightaway that the calorie content of the
pizza (458 calories) is higher than the calorie content of the
pasta (319 calories).
COMPARE the GDAs
You can also see what percentage of your total daily intake
these represent. Both are within my 30% guideline for
lunch and evening meal (see the diet details later in the
book), but a portion of pizza, at 23%, is almost ¼ of your
total GDA for the day. In contrast, a 200 g serving of pasta
is only 16% of your intake.
CHOOSE what you want
If you ’ re very hungry, you may decide that you ’ d rather
have the pasta so you can have a larger helping! If you
fancy the pizza, you know you ’ ll have to watch the portion
size more carefully.
This is a good example of how GDA labels can help you
make other decisions about the food you eat. If you ’ re
trying to reduce the amount of fat or salt in your diet, you
can see that the pizza contains much more fat than the
pasta (27% of your GDA compared with just 11%). The pizza
also contains more salt (38% of your GDA compared with
just 27%). Of course, the GDA label doesn ’ t mean you
mustn ’ t eat the pizza, but it does tell you very clearly
what ’ s inside the pizza, the pasta or any other food.
The GDA label allows you to check, compare and
choose the best food for you and your health. (Remember
to avoid adding extra salt, fat or sugar to food once you ’ ve
served it up, though!)
16 INTRODUCING GDAs
1 The GDA Diet is a diet for life.
2 GDA labels take the guesswork out of planning
a healthy, balanced diet.
3 Use GDA labels to CHECK the calories,
COMPARE the GDAs and CHOOSE what you want.
4 GDA labels will help you spot when you ’ ve had
too much of a good thing.
GDA DIET SUCCESS SECRETS
You can use GDAs to keep track of
calories or you can use them to keep a
track of all of the key nutrients in your
food.
GDAs are the total, or one hundred per cent (100%), of
the recommended number of calories, and
the recommended maximum amounts of fat, saturates,
sugar and salt that an average adult should eat in one day .
14 INTRODUCING GDAs
The fi gures you see on the GDA labels represent the
amount of calories, fat, saturates, sugar and salt in grams
that an individual food portion contributes towards your
total GDA – for one day . The GDA label also shows the
number of calories or grams per food portion and as a
percentage of your total daily allowance – for one day . You
can use either the grams or the percentages to help you
keep a track of what you ’ re eating.
Because all those numbers on your GDA label have
been turned into percentages, all the hard work has been
done for you. You can see at a glance how much of your
Guideline Daily Amounts are in a portion of food or drink.
HOW TO USE GDA s TO CHOOSE WHAT
TO EAT
You ’ re in the supermarket, you ’ re in a hurry, and you can ’ t
decide whether to buy a ready - made pizza or a ready - made
pasta dish. Which one would the kids prefer? And which
one will be better for you on your diet?
I can ’ t answer for your kids! But if you ’ re watching the
calories, look fi rst at the GDA label, to check, compare and
choose.
CHECK the calories
You can see straightaway that the calorie content of the
pizza (458 calories) is higher than the calorie content of the
pasta (319 calories).
COMPARE the GDAs
You can also see what percentage of your total daily intake
these represent. Both are within my 30% guideline for
lunch and evening meal (see the diet details later in the
book), but a portion of pizza, at 23%, is almost ¼ of your
total GDA for the day. In contrast, a 200 g serving of pasta
is only 16% of your intake.
CHOOSE what you want
If you ’ re very hungry, you may decide that you ’ d rather
have the pasta so you can have a larger helping! If you
fancy the pizza, you know you ’ ll have to watch the portion
size more carefully.
This is a good example of how GDA labels can help you
make other decisions about the food you eat. If you ’ re
trying to reduce the amount of fat or salt in your diet, you
can see that the pizza contains much more fat than the
pasta (27% of your GDA compared with just 11%). The pizza
also contains more salt (38% of your GDA compared with
just 27%). Of course, the GDA label doesn ’ t mean you
mustn ’ t eat the pizza, but it does tell you very clearly
what ’ s inside the pizza, the pasta or any other food.
The GDA label allows you to check, compare and
choose the best food for you and your health. (Remember
to avoid adding extra salt, fat or sugar to food once you ’ ve
served it up, though!)
16 INTRODUCING GDAs
1 The GDA Diet is a diet for life.
2 GDA labels take the guesswork out of planning
a healthy, balanced diet.
3 Use GDA labels to CHECK the calories,
COMPARE the GDAs and CHOOSE what you want.
4 GDA labels will help you spot when you ’ ve had
too much of a good thing.
GDA DIET SUCCESS SECRETS
You can use GDAs to keep track of
calories or you can use them to keep a
track of all of the key nutrients in your
food.
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