In many ways, eating a balanced diet is like putting together a puzzle – each food item you eat throughout the day is another piece of that puzzle. Using the GDAs on the Nutrition at a Glance™ tool makes it easier to solve the "puzzle" of your daily diet. You'll be able to quickly discover how a serving of cereal contributes to the GDA, so that you can decide:

• How much to eat,
• What to eat with it, and
• What choices you may need to make for the rest of the day.

Nutrition professionals agree that "all foods can fit" into a healthy diet, as long as you're keeping an eye on how those food choices fit together. You don't have to give up your favorite foods, or always choose the "healthiest" foods, but you need to be aware so you can make "trade offs" at other times of the day to meet your nutrition goals. Keep this in mind when reading and using Nutrition at a Glance.

1. While there is not a DV for calories, the GDA is 2,000. A serving of this cereal will add 110 calories to your day, which is about 6% of the GDA. Keeping an eye on calories is important in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
2. The GDA for total fat is 65 grams. A serving of this cereal provides 0 grams of fat, which contributes nothing to the GDA. While we need some fat in our diets to be healthy, it is important to consume 100% or less of the GDA for fat. If you were to choose a cereal that is higher in fat, balance it with foods that are lower in fat at other times of the day. Aim for the total amount of fat you eat in a day to stay at 100% or less of the GDA.
3. The GDA for sodium is 2,400 mg. A serving of this cereal provides 140 mg, which is 6% of the GDA. These facts allow you to determine if this choice is right for you and helps you to start thinking about what choices you should make later in the day so that you can consume 100% or less of the GDA for sodium.
4. You'll notice there is no %GDA given for sugars. THis is because a recommended intake for sugars has not been established. The Institute of Medicine suggests that less than 25% of daily calories come from added sugars to help minimize the consumption of foods with empty calories (IOM, 2002/2005). Far a 2,000 calorie diet, this would eaqual 125 grams of added sugar per day.
5. A good rule of thumb when looking at vitamins, minerals and fiber is that 10% means it is a "good source" and 20% means it is an "excellent source" of that nutrient. Most of our cereals provide a variety of vitamins and minerals. Check the Nutrient Facts Panel to see for yourself!