Learning how to read and use the Nutrition Facts Label can help you make informed food choices and support a healthy eating pattern.
Before reading a food label, it is important to understand these key terms:
Calories: The amount of energy provided by a serving of food. Calories come from carbohydrates, protein, fat, and alcohol.
Nutrient: A substance in food that the body needs for growth, health, and normal functioning. Examples include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water.
Percent Daily Value (%DV): Indicates how much a nutrient in one serving contributes to your total daily diet. The %DV can help you determine whether a food is high or low in a particular nutrient and can be useful when comparing similar products.
What the Nutrition Facts Label Tells You
1. Servings Per Container
The first section of the label shows the number of servings in the package or container. Keep in mind that many packaged foods contain more than one serving.
2. Serving Size
The serving size reflects the amount of food people typically eat at one time. It is not a recommendation for how much you should eat. All nutrition information on the label is based on this serving size.
Serving sizes are listed using common household measurements, such as cups, tablespoons, slices, or pieces, followed by the metric equivalent. When comparing foods, always check the serving size to ensure an accurate comparison.
3. Calories
The calories listed represent the total energy provided by one serving of the food. Maintaining a healthy weight involves balancing the calories you consume with the calories your body uses. A 2,000-calorie diet is commonly used as a general guide for nutrition information.
4. Percent Daily Value (%DV)
The %DV shows how much a nutrient in one serving contributes to a daily diet. Use the %DV to determine whether a food is high or low in a specific nutrient.
As a general rule:
- 5% DV or less = Low
- 20% DV or more = High
The %DV appears on the right side of the nutrient list and can help you compare food products, provided the serving sizes are similar.
5. Nutrients to Limit and Nutrients to Increase
The nutrient list on the left side of the label can help guide healthier food choices.
Choose less of these nutrients:
- Saturated fat
- Trans fat
- Sodium
- Added sugars
Many Americans consume too much of these nutrients, which may increase the risk of health problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
Choose more of these nutrients:
- Dietary fiber
- Vitamin D
- Calcium
- Iron
- Potassium
Aim to stay below 100% DV each day for nutrients you need less of and look for foods that provide higher amounts of beneficial nutrients.
Understanding Dual-Column Labels
Some food packages display a dual-column Nutrition Facts Label. These labels are used on products that may be eaten in one sitting or over multiple sittings.
Dual-column labels provide nutrition information for:
- One serving, and
- The entire package or container
This format makes it easier to see how many calories and nutrients you would consume if you ate or drank the entire package. For example, a bag of pretzels containing three servings may show nutrition information for both one serving and all three servings combined.
Understanding dual-column labels can help you make more informed decisions about portion sizes and overall nutrient intake.
Shakera Williams, DrHSc, MPH, Associate Extension Agent , Nutrition & Community Health,(Flavors of Health & CDC-HOP)
Webster, Claiborne, and Lincoln parishes, Webster Parish Chair