How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label

People look at food labels for a variety of reasons. But whatever the reason, many consumers
would like to know how to use this information more effectively and easily. The following label-
reading skills are intended to make it easier for you to use the Nutrition Facts labels to make
quick, informed food decisions to help you choose a healthy diet.

Overview

The information in the main or top section (see #1-4) of the sample nutrition label (below)
can vary with each food and beverage product; it contains product-specific information
(serving size, calories, and nutrient information). The bottom section contains a footnote
that explains the % Daily Value and gives the number of calories used for general nutrition
advice.

In the following Nutrition Facts label we have colored certain sections to help you focus on
those areas that will be explained in detail. Note that these colored sections are not on the
actual food labels of products you purchase.
1. Serving Information
(#1 on sample label)
When looking at the Nutrition Facts label, first take a look at the number of servings in
the package (servings per container) and the serving size. Serving sizes are standardized
to make it easier to compare similar foods; they are provided in familiar units, such as
cups or pieces, followed by the metric amount, e.g., the number of grams (g). The
serving size reflects the amount that people typically eat or drink. It is not a
recommendation of how much you should eat or drink.

It’s important to realize that all the nutrient amounts shown on the label, including the
number of calories, refer to the size of the serving. Pay attention to the serving size,
especially how many servings there are in the food package. For example,
you might ask yourself if you are consuming ½ serving, 1 serving, or more.
In the sample label, one serving of lasagna equals 1 cup. If you ate two cups, you would
be consuming two servings. That is two times the calories and nutrients shown in the
sample label, so you would need to double the nutrient and calorie amounts, as well as
the %DVs, to see what you are getting in two servings.

Example

One Serving of %DV Two Serving of %DV

Lasagna Lasagna

Serving Size 1 cup 2 cups

Calories 280 560

Total Fat 9g 12% 18g 24%

Saturated Fat 4.5g 23% 9g 46%

Trans Fat 0g 0g

Cholesterol 35mg 12% 70mg 24%

Sodium 850mg 37% 1700mg 74%

Total 34g 12% 68g 24%

Carbohydrate

Dietary Fiber 4g 14% 8g 29%

Total Sugars 6g 12g

Added Sugars 0g 0% 0g 0%

Protein 15g 30g

Vitamin D 0mcg 0% 0mcg 0%

Calcium 320mg 25% 640mg 50%

Iron 1.6mg 8% 3.2mg 20%

Potassium 510mg 10% 1020mg 20%

2. Calories

(#2 on sample label)

Calories provide a measure of how much energy you get from a serving of this food. In
the example, there are 280 calories in one serving of lasagna. What if you ate the
entire package? Then, you would consume 4 servings, or 1,120 calories.

To achieve or maintain a healthy body weight, balance the number of

calories you eat and drink with the number of calories your body uses.
2,000 calories a day is used as a general guide for nutrition advice. Your
calorie needs may be higher or lower and vary depending on your age, sex,
height, weight, and physical activity level.

Remember: The number of servings you consume determines the

number of calories you actually eat. Eating too many calories per
day is linked to overweight and obesity.

3. Nutrients

(#3 on sample label)

Look at section 3 in the sample label. It shows you some key nutrients that impact your
health. You can use the label to support your personal dietary needs – look for foods
that contain more of the nutrients you want to get more of and less of the nutrients you
may want to limit.

 Nutrients to get less of: Saturated Fat, Sodium, and Added Sugars.

Saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars are nutrients listed on the label that may be
associated with adverse health effects – and Americans generally consume too much of
them, according to the recommended limits for these nutrients. They are identified
as nutrients to get less of. Eating too much saturated fat and sodium, for example, is
associated with an increased risk of developing some health conditions, like
cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. Consuming too much added sugars can
make it hard to meet important nutrient needs while staying within calorie limits.

What are Added Sugars and How are they Different from Total Sugars?

Total Sugars on the Nutrition Facts label includes sugars naturally present in many
nutritious foods and beverages, such as sugar in milk and fruit as well as any added
sugars that may be present in the product. No Daily Reference Value has been
established for total sugars because no recommendation has been made for the total
amount to eat in a day.

Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts label include sugars that are added during the
processing of foods (such as sucrose or dextrose), foods packaged as sweeteners (such as
table sugar), sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or
vegetable juices. Diets high in calories from added sugars can make it difficult to meet
daily recommended levels of important nutrients while staying within calorie limits.

Note: Having the word “includes” before Added Sugars on the label indicates that Added
Sugars are included in the number of grams of Total Sugars in the product.

For example, a container of yogurt with added sweeteners, might list:

This means that the product has 7 grams of Added Sugars and 8 grams of naturally
occurring sugars – for a total of 15 grams of sugar.

 Nutrients to get more of: Dietary Fiber, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, and
Potassium.

Dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron ad potassium are nutrients on the label that
Americans generally do not get the recommended amount of. They are identified
as nutrients to get more of. Eating a diet high in dietary fiber can increase the
frequency of bowel movements, lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels, and reduce
calorie intake. Diets higher in vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium can reduce the
risk of developing osteoporosis, anemia, and high blood pressure.

Remember: You can use the label to support your personal dietary needs—choose
foods that contain more of the nutrients you want to get more of and less of the
nutrients you may want to limit.

4. The Percent Daily Value (%DV)

(#4 on sample label)

The % Daily Value (%DV) is the percentage of the Daily Value for each nutrient in a
serving of the food. The Daily Values are reference amounts (expressed in grams,
milligrams, or micrograms) of nutrients to consume or not to exceed each day.

The %DV shows how much a nutrient in a serving of a food contributes to a total daily
diet.

The %DV helps you determine if a serving of food is high or low in a nutrient.

Do you need to know how to calculate percentages to use the %DV? No, because the
label (the %DV) does the math for you! It helps you interpret the nutrient numbers
(grams, milligrams, or micrograms) by putting them all on the same scale for the day (0-
100%DV). The %DV column doesn't add up vertically to 100%. Instead, the %DV is
the percentage of the Daily Value for each nutrient in a serving of the food. It can
tell you if a serving of food is high or low in a nutrient and whether a serving of the food
contributes a lot, or a little, to your daily diet for each nutrient.

Note: some nutrients on the Nutrition Facts label, like total sugars and trans fat, do not
have a %DV – they will be discussed later.

General Guide to %DV

 5% DV or less of a nutrient per serving is considered low

  20% DV or more of a nutrient per serving is considered high

More often, choose foods that are:

 Higher in %DV for Dietary Fiber, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, and Potassium
 Lower in %DV for Saturated Fat, Sodium, and Added Sugars

Example: Look at the amount of sodium in one serving listed on the sample nutrition
label. Is %DV of 37% contributing a lot or a little to your diet? Check the General
Guide to %DV. This product contains 37% DV for sodium, which shows that this is a
HIGH sodium product (it has more than 20% DV for sodium). If you consumed 2
servings, that would provide 74% of the DV for sodium – nearly three-quarters of an
entire day’s worth of sodium.

Compare Foods: Use %DV to compare food products (remember to make sure the
serving size is the same) and more often choose products that are higher in nutrients
you want to get more of and lower in nutrients you want to get less of.

Understand Nutrient Content Claims: Use %DV to help distinguish one claim
from another, such as "light,” “low,” and “reduced.” Simply compare %DVs in each food
product to see which one is higher or lower in a particular nutrient. There is no need to
memorize definitions.

Dietary Trade-Offs: You can use the %DV to help you make dietary trade-offs with
other foods throughout the day. You don't have to give up a favorite food to eat a healthy
diet. When a food you like is high in saturated fat, balance it with foods that are low in
saturated fat at other times of the day. Also, pay attention to how much you eat during
the entire day, so that the total amount of saturated fat, as well as other nutrients you
want to limit, stays below 100%DV.

How the Daily Values Relate to the %DVs

Look at the example below for another way to see how the Daily Values (DVs) relate to
the %DVs and dietary guidance. For each nutrient listed in the table, there is a DV, a
%DV, and dietary advice or a goal. If you follow this dietary advice, you will stay within
public health experts' recommended upper or lower limits for the nutrients listed, based
on a 2,000-calorie daily diet.

Examples of DVs versus %DVs

Based on a 2,000 Calorie Diet

Nutrient DV %DV Goal

Saturated Fat 20g =100% DV Less than

Sodium 2,300mg =100% DV Less than

Dietary Fiber 28g =100% DV At least

Added Sugars 50g =100% DV Less than

Vitamin D 20mcg =100% DV At least

Calcium 1,300mg =100% DV At least

Iron 18mg =100% DV At least

Potassium 4,700mg =100% DV At least

Upper Limit - Eat "Less than"...

Upper limit means it is recommended that you stay below or eat "less than" the Daily
Value nutrient amounts listed per day. For example, the DV for saturated fat is 20g. This
amount is 100% DV for this nutrient. What is the goal or dietary advice? To eat "less
than" 20 g or 100%DV each day.

Lower Limit - Eat "At least"...

The DV for dietary fiber is 28g, which is 100% DV. This means it is recommended that
you eat "at least" this amount of dietary fiber on most days.

Nutrients Without a %DV: Trans Fats, Protein, and Total Sugars:

Note that Trans fat and Total Sugars do not list a %DV on the Nutrition Facts label.
Protein only lists a %DV in specific situations listed below.

Trans Fat: Experts could not provide a reference value for trans fat nor any other
information that FDA believes is sufficient to establish a Daily Value.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, there is evidence that diets higher
in trans fat are associated with increased blood levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or
“bad”) cholesterol—which, in turn, are associated with an increased risk of
developing cardiovascular disease. Note: most uses of artificial trans fat in the
U.S. food supply have been phased out as of 2018.

Protein: A %DV is required to be listed if a claim is made for protein, such

as "high in protein." The %DV for protein must also be listed on the label if
the product is intended for infants and children under 4 years of age.
However, if the product is intended for the general population 4 years of
age and older and a claim is not made about protein on the label, the %DV
for protein is not required.

Current scientific evidence indicates that protein intake is not a public health concern
for adults and children over 4 years of age in the United States.

Total Sugars: No Daily Reference Value has been established for Total
Sugars because no recommendations have been made for the total amount
to eat in a day. Keep in mind that the Total Sugars listed on the Nutrition
Facts label include naturally occurring sugars (like those in fruit and milk)
as well as Added Sugars.