Question
Read the nutrition label on each of the following foods and write the first four ingredients of each: (If any of these products are not in your home, gather this information on a field trip to the local grocery store.)
Breakfast cereal
Ice cream
Candy bar
Canned or frozen fruit
Soda
Write a short paragraph answering the following questions:
After reading the labels, were you surprised by any of the ingredient lists? If so, which ones and why?
Which food do you think is probably the most nutritious? Why?
Which do you think is the least nutritious? Why?
Breakfast cereal
Ice cream
Candy bar
Canned or frozen fruit
Soda
Write a short paragraph answering the following questions:
After reading the labels, were you surprised by any of the ingredient lists? If so, which ones and why?
Which food do you think is probably the most nutritious? Why?
Which do you think is the least nutritious? Why?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Here are the typical first four ingredients you might find on the nutrition labels of common foods:
**Breakfast Cereal:**
1. Whole Grain Oats
2. Sugar
3. Malt Flavoring
4. Salt
**Ice Cream:**
1. Cream
2. Sugar
3. Milk
4. Egg Yolks
**Candy Bar:**
1. Sugar
2. Chocolate
3. Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil
4. Milk
**Canned or Frozen Fruit:**
1. Fruit
2. Water (or Syrup, if canned)
3. Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C, for preservation)
4. Citric Acid (for flavor)
**Soda:**
1. Carbonated Water
2. High Fructose Corn Syrup
3. Caramel Color
4. Phosphoric Acid
### Short Paragraph:
After reading the labels, I was surprised by the ingredient lists of the ice cream and the candy bar. The ice cream contained egg yolks, which I didn't expect, as well as hydrogenated oils in the candy bar—both of which can contribute to higher fat content. The breakfast cereal was relatively straightforward, but I was struck by the amount of sugar used as a primary ingredient. I believe that the canned or frozen fruit is probably the most nutritious option due to its whole fruit content and preservation of vitamins. In contrast, the soda is likely the least nutritious because it contains a high amount of sugar and no essential nutrients, making it more of a sugary treat than a source of nutrition.
**Breakfast Cereal:**
1. Whole Grain Oats
2. Sugar
3. Malt Flavoring
4. Salt
**Ice Cream:**
1. Cream
2. Sugar
3. Milk
4. Egg Yolks
**Candy Bar:**
1. Sugar
2. Chocolate
3. Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil
4. Milk
**Canned or Frozen Fruit:**
1. Fruit
2. Water (or Syrup, if canned)
3. Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C, for preservation)
4. Citric Acid (for flavor)
**Soda:**
1. Carbonated Water
2. High Fructose Corn Syrup
3. Caramel Color
4. Phosphoric Acid
### Short Paragraph:
After reading the labels, I was surprised by the ingredient lists of the ice cream and the candy bar. The ice cream contained egg yolks, which I didn't expect, as well as hydrogenated oils in the candy bar—both of which can contribute to higher fat content. The breakfast cereal was relatively straightforward, but I was struck by the amount of sugar used as a primary ingredient. I believe that the canned or frozen fruit is probably the most nutritious option due to its whole fruit content and preservation of vitamins. In contrast, the soda is likely the least nutritious because it contains a high amount of sugar and no essential nutrients, making it more of a sugary treat than a source of nutrition.