assignment 2 find a food label that

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• The Nutrition Facts Label

How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label

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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 | Serving Information | Calories | Nutrients | The Percent Daily Value (%DV) | Nutrition Facts Label Variations

For additional resources on the Nutrition Facts label, visit www.fda.gov/NutritionFactsLabel.

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 Nutrition Facts label below 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.

Sample Label for Frozen Lasagna

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.

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. Learn your estimated calorie needs at  https://www.myplate.gov/myplate-plan .

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. 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 and 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

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.

Nutrition Facts Label Variations

Many Nutrition Facts labels on the market will be formatted in the same way as the lasagna label that has been used as an example throughout this page, but there are other formats of the label that food manufacturers are permitted to use. This final section will present two alternate formats: the dual-column label and the single-ingredient sugar label.

In addition to dual-column labeling and single-ingredient sugar labels, there are other label formats which you can explore here.

Dual-Column Labels

For certain products that are larger than a single serving but that could be consumed in one sitting or multiple sittings, manufacturers will have to provide “dual column” labels to indicate the amounts of calories and nutrients on both a “per serving” and “per package” or “per unit” basis. The purpose of this type of dual-column labeling is to allow people to easily identify how many calories and nutrients they are getting if they eat or drink the entire package/unit at one time. For example, a bag of pretzels with 3 servings per container might have a label that looks like this to show you how many calories and other nutrients would be in one serving and in one package (3 servings).

Single-Ingredient Sugar labels

Packages and containers of products such as pure honey, pure maple syrup, or packages of pure sugar are not required to include a declaration of the number of grams of Added Sugars in a serving of the product but must still include a declaration of the percent Daily Value for Added Sugars. Manufacturers are encouraged, but not required, to use the “†” symbol immediately following the Added Sugars percent Daily Value on single-ingredient sugars, which would lead to a footnote explaining the amount of added sugars that one serving of the product contributes to the diet as well as the contribution of a serving of the product toward the percent Daily Value for Added Sugars. Single-ingredient sugars and syrups are labeled in this way so that it does not look like more sugars have been added to the product and to ensure that consumers have information about how a serving of these products contributes to the Daily Value for added sugars and to their total diet.

Here is an example of how a label on a single-ingredient sugar, such as honey, could look.

Understanding Food Labels

Not so long ago, food choices were limited to what could be grown or raised, hunted or gathered. Today, grocery stores offer seemingly infinite choices in foods, with entire aisles dedicated to breakfast cereals and cases filled with a multitude of different yogurts. Faced with so many choices, how can we decide? Taste matters, of course. But if a healthy diet is your goal, so does nutrition. Food labels are our window into the nutritional value of a given food. Let’s examine what we can learn from food labels and how reading them can help us make smart choices to contribute to a healthy diet.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires food manufacturers to accurately label foods so that consumers can be informed about their contents. There are 5 types of information required by the FDA on every food label, except for fresh produce and seafood 1.2 :

• Statement of identity (what type of food is it?)
• Net contents of the package (how much is in there?)
• Name and address of manufacturer ( where was it produced? )
• Ingredients list (what ingredients are included in the food ?)
• Nutrition information ( what is the amount of nutrients included in a serving of food? )

Figure 1.12. The 5 required types of information on a food label.

The statement of identity and net contents of the package tell you what type of food you’re purchasing and how much is in the package. The name and address of the manufacturer are important if there’s a food recall due to an outbreak of foodborne illness or other contamination issue. Given the size of our food system and the fact that one manufacturer may make products packaged under multiple brand names, being able to trace a food’s origin is critical.

The last two types of required information—the ingredients list and the nutrition information—are a bit more complex and provide valuable information to consumers, so let’s look more closely at each of these parts of a food label.

Ingredients List

This order of ingredients comes in handy when judging the nutritional value of a product. For example, in the ingredients list for the corn muffin mix shown at right, it’s interesting to note that it contains more sugar than cornmeal! The ingredients list can also help you determine whether a bread contains more whole grain flour than refined flour. Or, if you’re choosing a breakfast cereal and the first ingredient is sugar, that’s a red flag that it’s more of a dessert than part of a nutritious breakfast.

By law, food manufacturers must also list major allergens, which include milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans. 2 Allergens may be listed in a separate statement, as on the corn muffin mix label, which lists “Contains: Wheat” on the label. Alternatively, allergens can be listed in parentheses within the ingredient list, such as “lecithin (soy).” Some labels include an optional “may contain” or “made in shared equipment with…” statement that lists additional allergens that could be present, not as ingredients in the food, but in trace amounts from equipment contamination. For people with food allergies, having this information clearly and accurately displayed on food packages is vital for their safety.

The Nutrition Facts Panel

If you want to learn about the nutritional value of a food, the Nutrition Facts panel is where you’ll find this information. It’s very useful for comparing products and for identifying foods that will be more or less valuable in meeting your nutritional goals. For example, if you’re trying to watch your intake of added sugar or saturated fat, or you’re trying to incorporate more dietary sources of calcium and vitamin D, the Nutrition Facts panel is a valuable tool. There are 4 main parts of a Nutrition Facts panel, shown in the figure below. The colors are added to highlight different sections of a label; Nutrition Facts are printed in black and white.

Figure 1.13. The four main sections of a Nutrition Facts label, highlighted in color.

1. Serving size information

It’s fitting that serving size information is first on the Nutrition Facts panel, because all of the information that follows is based on it. The serving size of the food is the amount that is customarily eaten at one time , and all of the nutrition information on the label is based on one serving of the food . This section of the label also states the number of servings per container. 1

It’s important to note that you might not always eat one serving of a food; sometimes you might eat half of a serving, and sometimes you might eat two or more servings in one sitting. For example, if the label above is for a breakfast cereal, you might easily consume 1 ⅓ cups of cereal for breakfast. If you’re interested in how many calories or nutrients you’re consuming, you would need to double the nutrition values to accurately represent your breakfast, since the serving size is only ⅔ cup.

2. Calorie information

This section simply states the number of calories, or the amount of energy, provided in one serving of the food. Again, if you consume more or less than the serving size, you’ll need to take that into consideration when estimating the calories you’re consuming.

3. Nutrient amounts

The Nutrition Facts panel must list the amounts of these nutrients: total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, sugars, added sugars, protein, calcium, vitamin D, iron, and potassium. 1

Manufacturers may also choose to add several other optional nutrients or nutritional information: calories from saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, soluble and insoluble fiber, sugar alcohol, other carbohydrate, and other vitamins and minerals.

4. Percent Daily Values

The Daily Value (DV) is an approximate recommendation for daily intake for a nutrient, developed by the FDA for use on food labels so that consumers can see how much of a nutrient is provided by a serving of a food relative to about how much they need each day. The DV is similar to the RDA or AI, except that because it’s used on food labels, it needs to be a simplified recommendation, with just one value rather than several for different age groups and sex, as found in the DRI. 3

Most DVs are based on amounts for people age 4 years through adult, though there are DVs established for infants, toddlers, and pregnant and lactating women, and you’ll see those used on food products specifically developed for those groups. Most of the time, the DV for a nutrient is the highest RDA or AI for the group it’s intended for.

The value printed on the Nutrition Facts panel is the percent DV, which tells you how much one serving of the food contributes towards meeting the daily requirement for that nutrient.

The FDA uses the following definitions for interpreting the %DV on food labels: 4

• 5%DV or less means the food is low in a nutrient.
• 10% to 19%DV means the food is a “good source” of a nutrient.
• 20%DV or greater means the food is high in a nutrient.

The DV is not as precise as the RDA, so while the %DV is useful for comparing food products or making quick judgements about the nutritional value of a food, it’s better to use the RDA if you’re looking for your individual nutrient requirements.

Putting the Nutrition Facts panel to work for you

How you use the Nutrition Facts on food labels depends on your dietary goals. If you’re trying to reduce your saturated fat intake, you’ll want to pay close attention to the %DV for saturated fat and try to choose foods with less than 5% DV for saturated fat. If you’re watching your caloric intake, you’ll want to pay attention to the calorie information. Regardless, always start by checking the serving size and comparing it to the amount you usually consume.

As an example of smart label reading, take a look at the two soup labels below. First, think about how much soup you would usually consume. There are two servings per can, but would you eat the entire can or just half of it? Many people would eat the whole can, and if that’s you, you would want to double all of the calorie and nutrient information. Both soups provide 160 calories per one-cup serving, or 320 calories for the entire can.

Figure 1.14. Comparison of Nutrition Facts for a regular vegetable soup, and reduced sodium vegetable soup.

Next, take a look at the sodium. Most Americans consume too much sodium, and this can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure. The regular soup has 680 mg or 28% of the DV for sodium. If you eat the entire can, that becomes 1360 mg or 56% DV. That’s a lot of sodium. You can see how the reduced sodium soup might be the wiser choice here.

VIDEO: “ Reading Food Labels ,” by Cincinnati Children’s, YouTube (May 9, 2019), 2:56 minutes.

What’s That Claim?

In addition to the FDA-required information on food labels, it’s common for them to be peppered with claims about the nutrient content of the food and the purported health benefits of eating it. These claims are marketing tools for food manufacturers, and they’re regulated by the FDA in an effort to ensure that they give the consumer accurate, science-based information about the food. Let’s look at the different types of claims that you’ll find on food packages.

Nutrient Claims

Nutrient claims provide straight-forward information about the level of a nutrient or calories in the food, such as “fat-free,” “low calorie,” or “reduced sodium.” Nutrient claims are regulated by the FDA, with very specific requirements for each one. For example, a food with a “low sodium” claim must have 140 mg of sodium or less per serving, whereas a food with a “reduced sodium” claim must have at least 25 percent less sodium than the standard product. You’ll see claims that a food is “high in,” “rich in,” and “excellent source of” a nutrient, all of which mean that a serving of the food contains 20% DV or more. A “good source of” claim contains 10-19% DV of the nutrient. 1

Health Claims

Health claims are statements on food packaging that link the food or a component in the food to reducing the risk of a disease. Health claims can be “authorized” or “qualified.” Authorized health claims have stronger scientific evidence to back them than qualified health claims. 5

As an example of an authorized health claim, a food that is low in sodium (per the FDA’s definition of less than 140 mg per serving) can include the following claim on their packaging: “Diets low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, a disease associated with many factors.” 1

For an authorized health claim to be approved by the FDA, the agency says “there must be significant scientific agreement (SSA) among qualified experts that the claim is supported by the totality of publicly available scientific evidence for a substance/disease relationship. The SSA standard is intended to be a strong standard that provides a high level of confidence in the validity of the substance/disease relationship.” 5 In other words, the FDA requires a great deal of evidence before allowing food manufacturers to claim that their products can reduce the risk of a disease. As is evident in the low sodium claim, they also require careful language, such as “ may reduce” (not definitely!) and “a disease associated with many factors” (as in, there are many other factors besides sodium that influence blood pressure, so a low sodium diet isn’t a guaranteed way to prevent high blood pressure).

Qualified health claims have some evidence to support them, but not as much, so there’s less certainty that these claims are true. The FDA reviews the evidence for a qualified claim and determines how it should be worded to convey the level of scientific certainty for it. Here’s an example of a qualified health claim: “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts [such as name of specific nut] as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

Figure 1.16. Examples of food packaging with authorized health claims. Can you spot them?

Structure-Function Claims

Health claims are very specific and precise in their language, and they convey the level of scientific certainty supporting them. In contrast, structure-function claims are intentionally vague statements about nutrients playing some role in health processes. Examples of structure-function claims are “calcium builds strong bones” and “fiber maintains bowel regularity.” Note that these statements make no claims to prevent osteoporosis or treat constipation, because structure-function claims are not allowed to say that a food or nutrient will treat, cure, or prevent any disease. 6 They’re allowed by the FDA, but not specifically approved or regulated, as long as their language stays within those rules.

Figure 1.17. Examples of food and supplement packaging with structure-function claims. Can you spot them?

Structure-function claims were originally designed to be used on dietary supplements, but they can also be used on foods, and they’re usually found on foods that are fortified with specific nutrients. They are marketing language, and because nutrients are involved in so many processes, they really don’t mean much.

As you look at food labels, pay attention to what’s shown on the front of the package compared with the back and side of the package. Nutrient and health claims are usually placed strategically on the front of the package, in large, colorful displays with other marketing messages, designed to sell you the product. But for consumers trying to decide which product to buy, you’ll find the most useful information by turning the package around to read the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredients list. These parts of the label may appear more mundane, but if you understand how to read them, you’ll find that they’re rich in information.

References:

• 1 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2013, January). A Food Labeling Guide: Guidance for Industry . Retrieved January 2, 2020, from FDA website: https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-food-labeling-guide
• 2 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2019, December 11). Food Labeling & Nutrition. Retrieved December 18, 2019, from FDA website: http://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition
• 3 National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. (n.d.). Daily Values (DVs). Retrieved December 22, 2019, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/dailyvalues.aspx
• 4 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2019, September 5). New and Improved Nutrition Facts Label. Retrieved January 2, 2020, from FDA website: http://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/new-and-improved-nutrition-facts-label
• 5 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2018). Questions and Answers on Health Claims in Food Labeling. FDA . Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-health-claims-food-labeling
• 6 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2018). Structure/Function Claims. FDA . Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/structurefunction-claims

Image Credits:

• Grocery aisle photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash ( license information )
• Figure 1.12. “The 5 required types of information on a food label” by Alice Callahan is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
• “Corn muffin ingredient list” by Alice Callahan is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
• Figure 1.13. Part of a nutrition fact label by Alice Callahan, CC BY 4.0, edited from “Nutrition Facts Label” by C.D.C. is in the Public Domain
• Figure 1.14. “Soup label comparison” by U.S.D.A. ChooseMyPlate is in the Public Domain
• Figure 1.15. “Examples of food packaging with nutrient claims” by Alice Callahan is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
• Figure 1.16. “Examples of food packaging with authorized health claims” by Alice Callahan is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
• Figure 1.17. “Examples of food packaging with structure-function claims” by Alice Callahan is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

An approximate recommendation for daily intake for a nutrient, developed by the FDA for use on food labels; allows consumers to see how much of a nutrient is provided by a serving of a food relative to about how much they need each day.

Statements regulated by the FDA that provide straight-forward information about the level of a nutrient or calories in the food, such as “fat-free,” “low calorie,” or “reduced sodium.”

Statements on food packaging that link the food or a component in the food to reducing the risk of a disease.

Claims that have stronger scientific evidence to back them than qualified health claims.

Claims that have some evidence to support them, but not as much, so there’s less certainty that these claims are true.

Vague statements about nutrients playing some role in health processes; not regulated by the FDA.

Nutrition: Science and Everyday Application, v. 1.0 Copyright © 2020 by Alice Callahan, PhD; Heather Leonard, MEd, RDN; and Tamberly Powell, MS, RDN is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Understanding Food Labels

The information on food labels is intended to help consumers become savvy about their food choices. The front, back, and sides of a package are filled with information to inform us what the food contains and to provide guidance in making healthier selections of processed foods. However, all the numbers, percentages, and sometimes complex-sounding ingredients can lead to more confusion than clarity.

This guide will help you to navigate the terminology and nutrition information on a food package to ensure that you know what you’re buying.

The Nutrition Facts Label

The Nutrition Facts label is overseen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and was first mandated under the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 to help consumers make quick, informed food choices. It has undergone revisions, with the latest update released in 2016 . Changes are generally based on updated scientific information and input from the public regarding ease of use.

Key features of the latest label

• A small bag of trail mix shows 100 calories per serving. One might assume the small bag to contain 1 serving, but it actually contains 3 servings so that eating the whole bag provides 300 calories. With the updated label, the same size bag would show 1 serving at 300 calories.
• Keep in mind that the serving size is not a recommendation for everyone about how much to eat, but rather a reference point.  
• Plain dairy milk will show 12 grams of Total Sugars (naturally occurring from lactose) per cup but zero Added Sugars.
• A cup of strawberry yogurt may show 20 grams of Total Sugars of which 10 grams are Added Sugars (10 grams are naturally occurring from lactose and the other 10 grams are from an added sweetener).
• Removal of vitamins A and C, and addition of vitamin D and potassium. Vitamins A and C had been included in previous labels when deficiencies of these nutrients were more common. They are rare today, so have been replaced with vitamin D and potassium, which can run low in the diets of some Americans.

How do I use the % Daily Value?

The percent Daily Value (%DV) shows how much of a nutrient in one serving of food contributes to one’s approximate daily requirement for the nutrient. To best use the %DV, remember these simple guidelines:

• 5% DV or less of a nutrient per serving is considered low. If you are trying to follow a heart-healthy diet, you might aim for this percentage amount for items like saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and added sugars.
• 20% DV or more of a nutrient per serving is high. Use this amount for nutrients you want more of. For example, if you are trying to eat more nutrients to support bone health, then you may aim for this percentage amount (or higher) for calcium and vitamin D.
• Use the %DV to quickly compare nutrients in similar products. For example, if you are looking for a salad dressing or pasta sauce with less salt and added sugar, you can compare two different brands and choose the product with the lower %DV for sodium and added sugars.

For more commentary on the updated Nutrition Facts label by Harvard nutrition experts, see the article, Updated Nutrition Facts Panel makes significant progress with “added sugars,” but there is room for improvement .

Front-of-Package

Front-of-package (fop) labels.

This is the section of a food label consumers see first, which within seconds can influence their purchase. This has made it a battleground between public health advocates and food manufacturers. Food manufacturers can choose to display FOP symbols or graphics that highlight nutritional aspects of the product if they are favorable to health, such as being lower in calories or added sugar, but may leave out less favorable information such as being high in sodium or saturated fat. These graphics promote a perception of healthfulness, which can be misleading if consumers rely only on these images without reading the Nutrition Facts panel for complete information. The FDA does not closely monitor these FOP graphics. Because research has shown that “positive” FOP labels like health stamps or checkmarks can overrate a food’s healthfulness, public health advocates have supported initiatives for FOP “warning” labels (e.g., traffic lights or stop signs) to highlight nutrients that are harmful to health in excess, such as sugars and fats in sweetened beverages and ultra-processed snacks . All FOP labels in the U.S. are voluntary, which allows food manufacturers to highlight or hide the nutrition information they choose to help promote or preserve sales. If warning labels became mandatory, as public health advocates propose, the pressure on manufacturers would increase to change certain products to improve their nutritional quality.

Health claims

These are statements reviewed by the FDA and supported by scientific evidence that suggest certain foods or diets may lower the risk of a disease or health-related condition. The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 regulates these health claims, which must undergo review by the FDA through a petition process. The FDA has approved 12 health claims on food labels such as the relationship between calcium and osteoporosis; sodium and hypertension; fiber-containing grains, fruits and vegetables and cancer; and folic acid and neural tube defects. However, just because a food contains a specific nutrient that is associated with a decreased risk of disease does not necessarily make the food healthy as a whole. An example would be a breakfast cereal high in soluble fiber for heart health but that is also high in added sugars. Research finds that consumers believe that a food carrying a health claim is healthier than a product that does not.

Nutrient content claims

These statements describe the nutrients in a food beyond what is listed on the Nutrition Facts label, intended to showcase a health benefit of the food. An example is “Contains 100% Vitamin C.” Most terms like “low sodium,” “high fiber,” “reduced fat,” and “good source of” are regulated by the FDA, and the nutrient amounts must meet specific guidelines to make these claims. Also regulated are comparative terms like “less sugar” or “fewer calories” comparing two similar products. However, these statements can mislead consumers about their overall healthfulness. For example, a bag of potato chips may advertise that it has 40% less fat and is cholesterol-free, suggesting it is a “healthy” food, when in reality even a “healthier” potato chip is still a high-calorie ultra-processed food offering little nutrition. Some terms are not yet regulated by the FDA such as “ natural ” or “multigrain.” As another example, see the pros and cons of health labeling for Whole Grains .

Chile: An Example of Effective FOP Warning Food Labels

Chile implemented the Law of Food Labeling and Advertising in 2016, comprised of mandatory front-of-package (FOP) warning labels, restrictions on child-directed marketing, and the banning of sales in schools of all foods and beverages containing added sugars, sodium, or saturated fats that exceeded set nutrient or calorie thresholds. [1] The FOP labels displayed a black stop sign that used warning words of “high in…” followed by sugar, sodium, saturated fat, or calories. Later analyses found that purchases of sweetened beverages significantly declined following the implementation of this multifaceted law that was more effective than prior single initiatives (i.e., sweetened beverages tax).

Opposition by food industries in other countries is strong toward warning labels such as these. [2] In the United States, in 2011 the FDA recommended a FOP graphic of stars or checkmarks that indicated a less healthful versus healthful food choice. [3] In response, the Grocery Manufacturers Association intercepted this project by introducing the FOP label “Facts Up Front,” which displays certain nutrient amounts of a processed food. There was criticism due to its voluntary nature so that manufacturers of less healthful foods could simply choose not to display it. Opposers also noted that simply listing the nutrient amounts would not necessarily help a consumer to know if it was a healthful choice if they were unsure what the amounts meant (as opposed to the FDA’s stars and checks system that provided straightforward guidance on a healthful versus less healthful choice). Regardless, soon after initiation of the Facts Up Front label, the FDA discontinued their labeling project while continuing to monitor the Facts Up Front system.

Side and Back-of-Package

Ingredients.

The FDA oversees the ingredients listed on food labels. A packaged food must list the ingredients in order of predominance by weight. In other words, the ingredients that weigh the most are listed first. The list may contain unfamiliar terms alongside the common ingredient names. These may be added preservatives or colors (e.g., sodium bisulfite, caramel color), thickeners or emulsifiers (e.g., guar gum, carrageenan), or the scientific names of vitamins and minerals (e.g., ascorbic acid, alpha tocopherol). Ingredients like added sugars may carry many alternative names but are essentially varying combinations of fructose and glucose: evaporated cane juice, high fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, honey, brown sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, molasses, and turbinado sugar.

Allergy information

Under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004, eight major food allergens—milk, fish, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, wheat, eggs, and soybeans—are required to be listed in a “contains” statement near the Ingredients list if present in a food. An example would be “contains wheat, milk, and soy.” Advisory statements addressing cross-contamination may also be listed such as “may contain wheat” or “produced in a facility that also uses peanuts.” On April 23, 2021, the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act became law, declaring sesame as the 9th major food allergen recognized in the US. Sesame will be a required allergen listing as of January 1, 2023.

Other potential allergens include gluten and color additives such as FD&C Yellow No. 5. The FDA mandates that a product containing FD&C Yellow No. 5 must identify it on the food label. The term “gluten-free” can be listed on a label if it meets a specific maximum amount of gluten as defined by the FDA.

Sell-by, Best-by, and Use-by dates

These dates found on food products inform both the seller and consumer about the shelf-life and optimal quality of the product. They are determined by the food manufacturer’s judgement for peak quality. Foods can still be eaten safely after these dates, with the exact amount of time dependent on the food product, but the flavor and texture may begin to deteriorate. These expiration dates are not required by federal law though some states may institute their own requirements.

• Sell-by date: The last date the seller should display the product on shelves for purchase.
• Best-by date: The last date recommended to use the product for best flavor and quality.
• Use-by date: The last date recommended to use the product for peak freshness; this date is important for highly perishable products like fresh meats, milk, poultry, and salad blends as their quality can quickly deteriorate beyond the use-by date.

Learn more about how to navigate these packaging dates to minimize food waste at home .

How do consumers respond to warning food labels?

Related resources from the fda.

Interactive Nutrition Facts Label What’s New with the Nutrition Facts Label How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label

Health professionals and educators The New Nutrition Facts Label Nutrition Education Resources & Materials

• Taillie LS, Reyes M, Colchero MA, Popkin B, Corvalán C. An evaluation of Chile’s Law of Food Labeling and Advertising on sugar-sweetened beverage purchases from 2015 to 2017: A before-and-after study. PLoS medicine . 2020 Feb 11;17(2):e1003015.
• Temple NJ. Front-of-package food labels: A narrative review. Appetite . 2020 Jan 1;144:104485.
• McGuire S. Institute of Medicine. 2012. Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Symbols: Promoting Healthier Choices. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Advances in Nutrition . 2012 May;3(3):332-3.
• Nestle M. Public health implications of front-of-package labels. American journal of public health . 2018 Mar;108(3):320.
• Taillie LS, Hall MG, Popkin BM, Ng SW, Murukutla N. Experimental studies of front-of-package nutrient warning labels on sugar-sweetened beverages and ultra-processed foods: A scoping review. Nutrients . 2020 Feb;12(2):569.
• Miller LM, Cassady DL, Beckett LA, Applegate EA, Wilson MD, Gibson TN, Ellwood K. Misunderstanding of front-of-package nutrition information on US food products. PLoS One . 2015 Apr 29;10(4):e0125306.

Last reviewed June 2021

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Food Labels (Lesson 15)

Descriptive terms.

Prior to the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, many descriptive terms used on labels were not regulated. Today, food products using descriptive terms on food labels must meet strict regulations. Understand that it isn't important or even possible to memorize all the definitions. It's only important to know that these terms have strict regulations. The list below will help you understand what the descriptive terms mean.

Nutrition labeling has been around since the 1970s. In the early 1990s, however, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) revised the food label in major ways. (USDA regulates labels on meat and poultry, and the FDA regulates labeling on all other food products.) Starting in 1994, food manufacturers were required to use the Nutrition Facts label on their products.

Introduction

Like many things you do - caring for your family, job responsibilities, preparing meals and taking care of your home – healthful eating is a balancing act. It takes skill to get it right.

Health experts agree that what we eat and how much we eat affects our health now and in the future. It is important to understand the links between diet and health and develop skills to consistently make informed food decisions.

There are three tools to help you do just that! These tools are:

1. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans - These guidelines are designed for professionals to help individuals ages 2 years and older eat a nutritious and healthful diet.

2. MyPlate - This is a food guide that uses five main food groups (fruits, vegetables, protein, grains and dairy) to show us how much to eat each day to be healthy. We need to eat a variety of foods from each of the food groups.

3. The Nutrition Facts label - This is the third tool used to make healthful food choices. The Nutrition Facts label is found on food packages and shows the amount of calories per serving, servings per container, specific nutrients and the amount of each nutrient given in grams and percent daily value based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Web Sites to Visit and Other Assignments

Web Site Assignments

Explore these websites to learn more about the Nutrition Facts label:

Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label

Mayo Clinic Nutrition Labeling

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020

Other Assignments

On your next trip to the grocery store, compare the following foods:

• Frozen green beans and canned green beans for sodium content
• Skim milk, low-fat milk, reduced-fat milk and whole milk for fat and calcium content
• Various breakfast cereals for fiber and iron content
• Frozen dinners for nutrition, convenience and cost
• Soft drinks versus 100 percent fruit juice for nutrition and cost
• Chips versus whole-wheat crackers for nutrition and cost
• Soft tub margarine, butter and shortening for Trans fat content

What You Will Learn

This lesson will help you to better understand the Nutrition Facts label and health claims on food packages . You will learn how to use them to make healthier choices at the supermarket.

What's on the Nutrition Facts Label

The Nutrition Facts label tells us a lot about a packaged food item. It doesn’t suggest what foods to eat, but it helps us make wise food choices. The food choices we make can benefit us now and in the future.

Let us take a look at a Nutrition Facts label. We'll start at the top and work our way down. You'll want to follow along on a food package you have in hand or on the label included here.

1. The first things you will see are servings per container and the serving size . This tells us how many servings you can expect to get out of the container or package based on the serving size. So in the example below, you will get four 1/2-cup servings in this container.

A serving size is the amount people typically eat at one time. Note: This is not a recommendation for how much consumers should eat of this food! (Since serving sizes on the new food label reflects the amount of the food item people typically eat today, they may differ from the previous food label. Consumption of some foods have increased since the first food label appeared in the 1990’s.) Serving sizes have been standardized for most foods to make it easier for consumers to compare similar products, such as cereals, and to compare the serving size to how much they actually eat. Servings are given in common household measures (i.e., cups, slices, tablespoons, etc.) as well as in metric measures. For example, the serving size here is ½ cup or 120 milliliters.

2. In section 2 of the label, calories per serving is listed. Notice that the word “Calories” and the amount of calories (330) is in bold font. This is to make consumers mindful of how many calories they are consuming in one serving of the food item so they can make wise food choices.

Remember that the amount of calories and nutrient content are based on a single serving. A serving and a helping are not the same! So for this product, there are 330 calories in ½ cup serving. If you consume two servings or 1 cup, then you have to double the calories and all the nutrients.

Just for fun, check the serving size on your box of cereal. Next time you serve yourself a bowl, measure out one serving. Is this more or less than you normally eat?

Do You Know? Based on the food label here, answer the following questions:

• If you drank 1 cup of this beverage, how many calories would you have consumed?
• If you drank only ¼ cup of this beverage, how many calories would you have consumed?
• If you drank all four servings of this beverage, how many calories would you have consumed?

*See answers at the end of this section.

3. In this section , the nutrients required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are listed. These nutrients are those most important to the health of Americans today. There are some nutrients that we should strive to limit when we make food choices and others that we should try to get the recommended daily amounts.

There are five nutrients we should try to limit:

• Saturated fat

Cholesterol

• Added sugars

Why are these nutrients limited? Research shows that a diet high in saturated fat and Trans fat can increase the risk of heart disease and therefore, should be limited. Not all fats, however, are created equally. You may see monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats listed under “ Total Fat .” These fats are actually heart-healthy, but keep in mind that all fats contain 9 calories per gram and contribute calories to your overall diet.

Cholesterol is listed for those who may need to monitor their cholesterol intake. Sodium, a component of salt, can increase blood pressure in some people and should be limited.

“ Added Sugars ” is a new feature on the revised Nutrition Facts label. Added sugars include all types of sugars, including syrups and granulated sugar that have been added during processing. “ Total Sugars ” include sugars that naturally occur in the food item (like fruit and milk) and sugars that have been added during processing. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that added sugars should be limited to 10 percent of total daily calories. Consuming too much added sugars can make it difficult to meet the important nutrient needs and still stay within calorie limits.

The five nutrients we should get more of include:

• Dietary fiber

Americans tend not to get enough of these nutrients. When comparing food items, it’s important to choose those foods that are higher in these nutrients.

4 . Since the Nutrition Facts label tells us how much of each of these nutrients is in a single serving of the food, it is hard to know if that amount is a little or a lot. To make it easier to gauge, the Percent (%) Daily Value shows us how the food item fits into our overall diets.

The Percent Daily Value is a reference number based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), and tells adults how much each nutrient in one serving of food contributes to a daily diet. The Percent Daily Value is based on a 2,000-calorie diet. For some nutrients, your required Percent Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Cholesterol, sodium, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium do not change based on calorie needs.

The Percent Daily Value is the key to tell whether a nutrient is high or low in a food. Using the food label above, you see that the food item contains 75 milligrams of cholesterol and 85 milligrams of sodium. Would you know if it is high or low in cholesterol and sodium? The Percent Daily Value is the clue. It tells you that it has 25 percent of your daily value for cholesterol and 4 percent of your daily value for sodium. A neat trick you can use is to remember the 5 and 20 rule . If a food has 5 percent or less of a nutrient, it is considered low in that nutrient. If it has 20 percent or more, it's considered high.

For those nutrients we should limit, we should strive for a Percent Daily Value of less than 100 percent. Conversely, for the nutrients we should get more of, we should try to reach 100 percent of the Percent Daily Value.

5 . In section 5, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium are required to be listed on the label. Other vitamins and minerals are allowed to be on the label as well but are not required. The four required nutrients are listed because Americans do not always get the recommended amounts. As mentioned above, we should strive to reach 100 percent of the daily recommended amount of each nutrient. On the previous food label, vitamins A and C were required to be listed but are now optional because deficiencies of these vitamins are rare today. The actual amount (in milligrams or micrograms) and the Percent Daily Value of each nutrient must also be listed.

6. The footnote at the bottom of the Nutrition Facts label defines the Percent Daily Value. It also tells consumers how much a nutrient in the serving size contributes to the recommended daily amount based on a 2000-calorie diet.

Ingredients List

The food package also contains the list of ingredients in the food item. Ingredient lists are required on labels of all foods with more than one ingredient. They are listed in order by weight, from most to least. If you have food allergies, the ingredient list can help you identify foods that you may need to avoid.

Other Labels You May See

You may come across dual-column labels on a food item like the one below. The two columns show the calorie and nutrient content per serving (1 cup) and the entire container (2 cups). You may see this type of label on food items that could be consumed in one sitting or multiple sittings. For example, a pint of ice cream with 2 servings per container could be eaten at one sitting. The purpose of this type of labeling is to allow people to easily identify how many calories and nutrients they are getting if they eat or drink the entire package at one time.

• 660 calories
• 165 calories
• 1,320 calories

Getting Started

Before starting this lesson, go to your pantry and pick up a few food items that have a Nutrition Facts label. If you have two similar products that you can compare, that would be great. You probably have two different kinds of cereal or maybe two kinds of soup. You get the idea. As you learn about each point on the label, see if you can find that information on one of your food products.

Label Changes

Nutrition labels are mandatory for most packaged foods and voluntary for many raw foods. The nutrition panel has been redesigned to reflect today's health concerns and make it easier to understand and use to make healthful food choices. The nutrition panel is called the Nutrition Facts .

On May 20, 2016, the FDA announced the new Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods to reflect new scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases, such as obesity and heart disease.

On January 1, 2020, manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual sales were required to switch to the new label. Manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales have until January 1, 2021 to comply. Manufacturers of most single-ingredient sugars, such as honey and maple syrup have until July 1, 2021 to make the changes.

Label Language

The government has set strict definitions for terms that can be used to describe a food's nutrient content. These are free, low, reduced, high, less, more, light, good source of, lean and extra lean . On the package, you will see words like low-fat, high fiber and no cholesterol.

Currently there are 17 health claims that are allowed to be used on food labels. They are based on sound research proving the relationship between a nutrient or food and a disease. These claims are regulated by the government and give important information about how diet affects health.

Just like the Nutrition Facts, nutrient content claims are defined for one serving. For example, that means that low– fat cheese has no more than three grams of fat per serving.

Nutrient Content Claim – Definition per Serving

Calorie free – less than 5 calories Low calorie – 40 calories or less Reduced or fewer calories – at least 25% fewer calories* Light – 50% fewer calories from fat, 30% lower calories overall*

Sugar free – less than 0.5 gram sugar

Reduced sugar – at least 25% less sugars*

No added sugar – no sugars or sugar alcohols added during processing or packing, including ingredients that contain sugars such as fruit juices, applesauce or dried fruit

Fat free – less than 0.5 gram of fat Low fat – 3 grams or less of fat per 100 grams Reduced or less fat – at least 25% less fat than reference food* Light – 50% less fat than reference food

Saturated Fat

Saturated fat free – less than 0.5 gram saturated fat

Low saturated fat – 1 gram or less saturated fat per serving and not more than 15% of calories from saturated fat

Reduced or Less saturated fat – at least 25 % less saturated fat*

Cholesterol free – less than 2 milligrams cholesterol and 2 grams or less of saturated fat

Low cholesterol – 20 milligrams or less cholesterol and 2 grams or less of saturated fat

Reduced or less cholesterol – at least 25% less cholesterol and 2 grams or less saturated fat*

Sodium free – less than 5 milligrams sodium

Very low sodium – 35 milligrams or less sodium

Low sodium – 140 milligrams or less sodium

Reduced or less sodium – at least 25% less sodium*

Light in sodium – 50% or less sodium

High fiber – 5 grams or more

Good source of fiber – 2.5 grams to 4.9 grams

More or added fiber – at least 2.5 grams more fiber

Other Claims

High, rich in, excellent source of – 20% or more of Daily Value

Good source – provides 10% to 19% of Daily Value

More, enriched, fortified – added 10% or more of Daily Value

Lean ** – Less than 10 grams fat, 4.5 grams saturated fat and 95 milligrams cholesterol

Extra lean ** – Less than 5 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat and 95 milligrams cholesterol * as compared with a standard serving size of the traditional food ** on meat, poultry, seafood and game meats

If you read carefully, you noticed that reduced means at least 25% less of something than the traditional food. For example, reduced sodium is 25% less sodium, reduced fat is 25% less fat, and reduced cholesterol is 25% less cholesterol than the traditional food. This one is easy to remember, but a 25% reduction doesn't mean it is low in sodium, fat, cholesterol, or whatever. You must read the label.

Health Claims

Health claims about the relationships between a nutrient or a food and the risk of a disease or health-related issue are now permitted on food labels. These claims are based on sound research. Claims are approved in the following areas: Qualified Health Claims about Atopic Dermatitis Risk 100% Whey-Protein Partially Hydrolyzed Infant Formula and Reduced Risk of Atopic Dermatitis Qualified Claims about Cancer Risk Tomatoes and/or Tomato Sauce & Prostate, Ovarian, Gastric and Pancreatic Cancers

Calcium and Colon/Rectal Cancer & Calcium and Recurrent Colon/Rectal Polyps

Green Tea & Cancer

Selenium & Cancer

Antioxidant Vitamins & Cancer

Qualified Claims about Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Nuts & Heart Disease

Walnuts & Heart Disease

Omega-3 Fatty Acids & Coronary Heart Disease

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids from Olive Oil & Coronary Heart Disease

Unsaturated Fatty Acids from Canola Oil & Coronary Heart Disease

Corn Oil & Heart Disease Possibly B vitamins & Vascular Disease

B Vitamins & Vascular Disease

Qualified Claims about Cognitive Function

Phosphatidylserine & Cognitive Dysfunction and Dementia

Qualified Claims about Diabetes

Chromium Picolinate & Diabetes

Qualified Claims about Hypertension Calcium & Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension, and Preeclampsia

Qualified Claims about Neural Tube Birth Defects

0.8 mg Folic Acid & Neural Tube Birth Defects

Take a minute to brainstorm. List the 10 top reasons for reading a food label. Take a look at one of the food packages you pulled from your pantry. Write down five things that the label tells you about the food inside. Suppose you were choosing a breakfast cereal. What might make you buy one over the other? How would you decide which one had the nutrients you need? The Nutrition Fact s panel on the label can help you compare the calories and nutrients of these cereals and help you make an informed choice. Reading a food label helps you make food choices within the Food Guide recommendations. The food label is good reading for healthy eating. You can tell a lot about a food just by reading the label. This is one of the best sources of information available to you. Remember, the Dietary Guidelines, a food guide, Nutrition Facts and DASH Eating Plan work together to help you and your family eat more healthfully. The Dietary Guidelines set up guidelines for American households to follow to maintain health. MyPlate shows the major food groups and serving amounts based on the Dietary Guidelines. The DASH Eating Plan is an alternate food guide following the Dietary Guidelines. These along with the Nutrition Facts label help you to make healthy food choices. Here's wishing you and your family healthy eating!

Have a question or comment about the information on this page?

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How to Confidently Read Nutrition Labels

• Reading the Label
• Misleading Terms
• Tips for People With Diabetes
• What's Most Important

Understanding how to read a food label can be a very useful tool to reach your health and nutrition goals. But knowing how to read a label properly takes practice, guidance, and an understanding of key words, definitions, and interpretation of values.

Reading food labels can benefit people with certain health conditions who need to avoid or limit ingredients or nutrients. For example, labels provide information on carbohydrates, fiber, and added sugars, which can impact blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.

Read on to learn how to master a food label from top to bottom, what terms to be weary of, and suggestions for people with certain health conditions. 

Oscar Wong / Getty Images

How to Read a Nutrition Label From Top to Bottom

The nutrition facts food label refers to the back of the label where you can find specific amounts for key nutrients and the ingredient list. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated the Nutrition Facts label in 2016.

These changes included making certain fonts larger (like serving size and calories), updating serving sizes to reflect amounts people are eating and not what they “should be eating,” providing consumers with total amounts of added sugar, the definition of percent Daily Value, and adding amounts of other key nutrients, like vitamin D and potassium.

To read a nutrition label, start at the top and work your way down. 

Serving Size and Servings Per Container

The changes made by the FDA in 2016 regarding serving size and servings per container reflect what consumers are actually eating as opposed to what they should be eating. The servings per container lists how many servings are in the entire container, box, or bag.

And the serving size reflects the quantity of one serving. Both are provided in familiar units, such as cups or pieces followed by the metric amount, like grams (g).

The nutrients listed are reflective of one serving. Should you consume more or less of the serving size, you’ll need to adjust the numbers accordingly. For example, if there are four, 1-cup servings in a container and you eat 2 cups, you must double the number of nutrients. If you eat one-half cup, you will divide all the nutrients in half. 

Key Points on Serving Size

Keep in mind that the serving size is not recommended to inform you how much you should eat, rather it’s a reflection of how much people usually eat. All specific nutrient recommendations should be individualized. 

Calories are now listed per serving in larger, bolder font. A calorie is a unit of energy. Carbohydrates, fat, and protein contain calories that provide our bodies with energy. The resting metabolic rate is the amount of calories the body needs to breathe, sleep, and maintain current body weight.

But the body's needs are different based on weight, age, gender, activity level, overall health, and whether or not a person wants to gain, lose, or maintain weight. A person looking to lose weight will want to create a calorie deficit, that is, eating fewer calories than they use in a day.

The total fat is reflective of the total amount of fat (mono, poly, trans, and saturated fat) in one serving. Fat is a macronutrient that provides 9 calories per gram. The label will further break down fat into saturated fat and trans fat. Food labels may voluntarily list the amount of poly and monounsaturated fats, but they are not required.

Cholesterol 

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance involved in producing certain hormones and in making and maintaining certain parts of the cell. Your liver makes cholesterol, but you can also get it from food. Foods that contain cholesterol are mainly animal products, such as dairy and meat.

Although it used to be believed that a diet rich in dietary cholesterol can increase blood cholesterol, high intake of saturated fat can increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad,” cholesterol .

Sodium is an essential electrolyte. However, eating too much of it can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure . Sodium is often added to packaged foods to enhance flavor and increase shelf life.

The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) daily and an ideal limit of less than 1,500 mg per day for most adults, especially those with high blood pressure.

Carbohydrates, Fiber, and Added Sugar 

Carbohydrates provide the body with energy and are found in a variety of food sources, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, flour, sugar and other sweeteners. When reading a nutrition facts label, the carbohydrates are listed in total. Underneath, it shows how many carbohydrates come from fiber, sugar, and added sugar.

Added sugar is not the same as sugar from a natural source. For example, a strawberry contains carbohydrates, fiber, and natural sugar, but not added sugars. 

The added sugars line is a 2016 update to the Nutrition List meant to help consumers be aware of how much sugar they consume. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends less than 10% of total daily calories come from added sugar.

Percent Daily Values

Percent daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. They tell you how much of a specific nutrient contributes to the needs of a generalized diet (set at 2,000) calories. Items that are 5% and lower are considered to be low in that nutrient, while those 20% and higher are thought to be high.

Not every nutrient has a percent daily value because generalized percentages may not be available for that particular nutrient. Values are set for someone who is following a calorie intake of 2,000. Therefore, percent daily values will change based on your individualized needs.

For most people it’s advantageous to choose foods with higher percent daily values for fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium and lower in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar.

Nutrients required to be listed on a food label include vitamin D, calcium, potassium and iron . These nutrients are listed because many people need to consume adequate amounts of them.

Ingredients List 

Reading the ingredients list is important, especially if you have an allergy or specific nutrition goals. On a product label, the ingredients are listed in descending order,  with the most abundant ingredients listed first. For example, if the first or second ingredient is sugar (or another sweetener), that item is high in sugar. To confirm, look up and read the number of grams of added sugar. 

Ingredients lists can also help you identify which foods are considered to be 100% whole grains and which foods have added sodium or other ingredients. 

Terms on Food Labels That Don’t Always Mean What You Think

Certain claims or terms on the front or back of a label can be confusing. For example, a popular marketing term is “ net carbs .” This term is meant to describe the amount of carbohydrates that are absorbed or metabolized by the body that can have an impact on blood sugars. They are calculated by subtracting the fiber and sugar alcohols from total carbohydrates.

For instance, if the total carbohydrates are set at 20 g and the food contains 5 g of fiber, the net carbs would be 15. The problem is that the FDA does not officially recognize this term. The theory is based on the fact that these carbohydrates are not metabolized (which is not always the case).

The American Diabetes Association does not support the net carbs value but instead recommends that people with diabetes refer to the total carbohydrates on the nutrition facts label first. This is because people can have variable responses to food and the only way to really know how a food affects your blood sugar is to check your blood sugar after eating it.

Terms like "no sugar added" and "sugar-free" do not mean that the product is carbohydrate-free. These products may still contain carbohydrates. For example, sugar-free ice cream (which is made from milk and milk contains carbohydrates) is not carbohydrate-free.

Suggestions for People With Diabetes

If you are a person with diabetes, one of the most important components of the label will be the amount of carbohydrates a food contains. Carbohydrates are the macronutrients that impact blood sugars the most. Understanding the types of carbohydrates you eat and their amounts is particularly important if you follow a diet that requires a specific amount of carbohydrates or count carbohydrates to match insulin needs.

Foods higher in fiber can assist in blood sugar management as they are digested slowly. Look for carbohydrates that are a good or excellent source of fiber. These foods will contain 2.5–5 grams of fiber per serving.

Watch out for foods that contain a lot of added sugar. Sugar is a simple form of carbohydrate that can raise blood sugar quickly, especially when eaten in isolation. For example, if a person with diabetes has low blood sugar ( hypoglycemia ), it is recommended to eat a simple source of sugar, like 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey, to raise it quickly.

If you have diabetes and a history of heart disease, you should also pay attention to the sodium and fat values on the label. Foods lower in sodium and saturated fat are recommended. 

What Parts of a Nutrition Label Matter the Most?

A nutrition label is meant to be used as a tool to help you meet your individualized nutrition needs. The most important component will depend on your goals, overall health, and nutrient needs.

If you are a person who has high blood pressure you may focus on the sodium content. Caregivers of persons with diabetes can use the food label to inform them on the total number or carbohydrates, fiber, added sugars, and protein in a food.

Someone who is trying to lose weight may look at the label to assess how many calories, fiber, and protein are in a food. Or those people with a vitamin D insufficiency may look at the label to assess how much vitamin D it contains.

The ingredients list is often overlooked and can tell you the full story of what the food is made from and where the nutrients are coming from. This part of the label is extremely important for identifying food allergens and sensitivities.

The nutrition facts label can serve as a valuable tool to help you achieve your health goals and nutrient needs. You can use the label to make informed purchases and assess how foods fit into your eating plan. Understand that your health and nutrition goals are unique to you. The key features you are looking for can vary based on your needs. When in doubt, reach out to a health professional or registered dietitian for guidance and support.

American Diabetes Association. Making sense of food labels .

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Changes to the nutrition facts label .

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. How to understand and use the nutrition facts label .

Center for Disease Control. Physical activity for a healthy weight.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat .

Fernandez ML, Murillo AG. Is there a correlation between dietary and blood cholesterol? Evidence from epidemiological data and clinical interventions . Nutrients. 2022;14(10):2168. doi: 10.3390/nu14102168.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Blood cholesterol: Causes and risk factors .

American Heart Association. Why I should I limit sodium?

US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Health and Human Services.  Dietary guidelines for americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition .

Food and Drug Administration. Types of food ingredients .

American Diabetes Association. Get smart on carbs. Get to know carbs .

American Diabetes Association. Reading food labels. Making sense of food labels .

American Diabetes Association. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) .

By Barbie Cervoni, RD Cervoni is a New York-based registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist.

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Food Labels

Food labels can help you make healthy choices when buying food in grocery stores or restaurants.

Learn about organic foods, requirements, and how they are labeled.

Calorie labeling on menus can help you make informed and healthful decisions about meals and snacks. 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the safety of food for humans and animals, including foods produced from genetically engineered (GE) plants, sometimes referred to as "genetically modified organisms" (GMOs). Find out more about the safety of GE plants, and how they are regulated here.

What are GMOs? Do GMOs affect your health? Get the answers to these questions and more.

Learn the difference between total sugars and added sugars, and discover how the Nutrition Facts Label can help you choose foods that are lower in added sugars.

Learn what common foods are natural sources of the vitamin folate, plus what foods may have folic acid added during processing.

Explore the different parts of the Nutrition Facts Label and ingredient list. See the glossary to learn about unfamiliar terms.

Find education materials that make it easy to understand and use the Nutrition Facts Label including:

• Read the Label Youth Outreach Materials
• Gluten and Food Labeling
• Sodium on the Nutrition Facts Label
• How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods and beverages with a fresh design that will make it easier for you to make informed food choices that contribute to lifelong healthy eating habits.

Many foods or beverages are flavored—but how can you tell where those flavors come from?

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Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix

Lesson plan, grade levels, type of companion resource, content area standards, agricultural literacy outcomes, common core, what's on the nutrition facts label, grade level.

Students will be introduced to the Nutrition Facts label, navigate and decipher the Nutrition Facts label, use food labels to determine nutritive value of foods, and define terminology found on the label such as calories, nutrients, and servings.  Grades 9-12

Estimated Time

60-90 minutes

Materials Needed

• 8-10 food packages (a variety of food types)

Activity 1: Navigating the Nutrition Facts Label

• Navigating the Nutrition Facts Label PowerPoint  slides
• Navigating the Nutrition Facts Label handout , 1 per student
• Foldable Notes cutout page , 1 per student printed front to back
• Student access to scissors, glue/tape, and colored pencils
• Food Label Smarts  video

Activity 2: Ranking Food Labels

• Nutrition Facts Label Cards , 1 copy/set per group of 3-4 students (cut each sheet in half to make 10 cards)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA): a federal agency in the United States responsible for protecting the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, and the safety of our nation's food supply

Nutrition Facts: a label required by law on food packages indicating the nutritional composition of the food

Did You Know?

• Food manufacturers determine the nutrient contents of their own products to indicate on the Nutrition Facts label. The FDA does not initially check for accuracy, but they collect samples to monitor accuracy of the information provided. 1
• In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the United States Department of Agriculture. Lincoln called the USDA “The People’s Department” because it touches the lives of every American, every day. The USDA still fulfills this mission overseeing the production of our food. 2
• The origin of the FDA traces back to the 1906 Pure Food and Drugs Act. 3

Background Agricultural Connections

In the 1960s, most Americans were preparing their food at home from scratch. Within a few years, the demand and cultural preferences began shifting toward prepared and prepackaged foods. After outbreaks of food borne illness and growing allergy concerns, consumers wanted more information about the packaged food they were buying. The Nutrition Facts label was the solution. The Nutrition Facts label has been printed on retail foods since the 1960s. Nutrition labels are standardized and regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for consistency and accuracy.

The last major change to the Nutrition Facts label was initiated in 2016. Food companies have until January 2020 to implement the food label changes, so both label formats may be found until then.

Changes were developed based on new scientific research and an effort to help consumers connect their dietary choices with chronic disease. The new food label is designed to be easier for consumers to read and understand, allowing them to make more informed choices about the food they eat. Changes include the following:

• The type size has been increased and bolded for “calories,” “servings per container,” and “serving size.”
• The Daily Values (% DV) footnote has been updated to define what Daily Value means.
• The amount of sugars in the form of syrup, sugar, honey, or sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juice is included in a new section of the label called “Added Sugars.” This new addition to the label was added because research has shown it is difficult to stay under your calorie intake if you are consuming more than 10% of your diet in added sugar.
• Vitamin D, potassium, calcium, and iron are now required nutrients to be listed on the nutrition label. They are listed both in percent Daily Value (DV) and measured by weight (mg or mcg).
• “Calories from Fat” has been removed because it is more important to know the type of fat you are consuming.
• Serving sizes will be based on the amount people are actually eating. Typical serving sizes have increased over the years. For example, a serving of ice cream used to be 1/2 cup, but it will now be 2/3 cup.

Nutrition Facts labels are important tools to help consumers be aware of the contents of their foods in order to meet and not exceed their nutrition requirements. Food labels contain the following information:

• Servings Per Container:  Shows the total number of servings found in the entire package. 
• Serving Size : This quantity is based on the amount customarily eaten at one time, though typical serving sizes often exceed recommended serving sizes.
• Calories:  A unit of measurement used to define the amount of energy a food provides the body.
• Fat: A macronutrient that provides energy, stores energy, and helps digest fat-soluble vitamins. There are four types of fat; polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, saturated fat, and trans fat.
• Sodium: Refers to the mineral table salt, or sodium chloride. Sodium helps in the function of nerves, muscles, and fluid balance in the body.
• Carbohydrate: A macronutrient which supplies energy to support bodily functions and physical activity. Carbohydrates include sugars, starches, celluloses, and gums.
• Fiber: The portion of plant-derived food that cannot be completely broken down by digestive enzymes. Fiber improves digestive health and lowers risk of many chronic diseases.
• Sugar: The sum of naturally occurring sugars and added sugars in a food. Naturally occurring sugars would include fructose in fruit or lactose in dairy products. Added sugars are those added in the processing of food in the form of table sugar, honey, syrups, etc.
• Protein: A macronutrient needed to maintain bone, muscle, and skin health.
• Vitamins and Minerals: This section declares the amount of vitamins or minerals found in each serving of food. Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium are required on the label because they have been found to be most at risk of being deficient in the United States.
• % Daily Value: The percent of each nutrient provided in one serving of the food based on recommendations for a 2,000 calorie diet.

• At the beginning of class, challenge the students to place the food in order from the greatest to the least amount of sugar per serving. You may choose to invite one or two students to categorize the food in front of the class or seek input from your entire class to accomplish the task together.
• Give student(s) 1-2 minutes to complete the challenge. After student(s) finish, ask how they came to their conclusion. If the students did not use the Nutrition Facts labels on the food packages, ask the class, “Is there a way to obtain this information about the food we eat? (Yes, the Nutrition Facts label.)
• Use the Nutrition Facts labels to check the accuracy of the food ranking. Show students where the nutrition labels can be found on the food packages. Ask students if any of the food surprised them by having more or less sugar than they imagined.
• Explain that nearly every packaged food sold in a grocery store is required to have a food label. Ask the students why they think it is important to have labels on the food we eat. (To know the amount of sugar/fat and other nutrients, for consumers to address specific health concerns impacted by their diet, or to avoid food they are allergic to.)

Explore and Explain

Activity 1: Navigating the Nutrition Facts Label

• Stimulate thinking about the Nutrition Facts labels by asking, “Besides raw, unpackaged produce and some fresh fish and meat cuts, what foods can you find at the grocery store that are NOT required to have a Nutrition Facts label?” (Foods that contain insignificant amounts [zero] of all required nutrients. Examples include tea, coffee, food coloring, and spices.) If students do not come up with the correct answer, offer an incentive to the person who comes to the next class with the answer.
• Give each student one copy of the Navigating the Nutrition Facts Label handout and one copy of the Foldable Notes cutout page (printed front to back).

• Ask students why it is important to be able to read and understand a Nutrition Facts label?  (To know the amount of nutrients we are putting into our bodies, to avoid under or over nourishment, and to help us be educated about the foods we are eating.)

Activity 2:  Ranking Food Labels

• Divide the class into groups of 3-4 students. Give each group one set of Nutrition Facts Label Cards . (They should have 10 cards per group.)
• Explain to the students that they will be evaluating each nutrition label and ranking the foods according to different parameters. Direct the activity with the entire class, or provide a task list for individual groups to work independently. 
• Number of calories
• Dietary Fiber
• Total sugars
• Added sugars
• Is there any correlation between total carbohydrates and total sugars? (Yes, sugars are a specific type of carbohydrate. Foods high in sugar are often also high in carbohydrates.)
• Which food provides a significant source (20% or greater) of one of the 4 vitamins/minerals (Vitamin D, potassium, calcium, and iron)? (Cheese pizza-calcium)
• What is unique or different about the Oats and Honey Clusters label?  (Explain to students the use of the dual column label. Certain food products that can be eaten in one sitting have a dual column label listing the calories and nutrients per serving as well as per package.)
• Ask follow up questions such as, "Did anything surprise you about these foods?" or "What questions do you have?"

Students have just learned about the Nutrition Facts label found on the side or back of food packages. Many food packages also have nutritional health claims that are often found on the front of food packages. Read  Health Claims on Food Labels to expand knowledge of the information found on the front of food packages. 

Have students construct their own food label for their favorite recipe. Use the  Creating a Nutrition Facts Label worksheet for guidance.

Watch the video clip,  What is a calorie?  

After conducting these activities, review and summarize the follow key concepts:

• Government organizations such as the FDA oversee the labeling of foods in the United States. They set standards for food processing companies to follow to communicate nutrition facts to consumers.
• Accurately reading a Nutrition Facts label and using the information to follow dietary recommendations can help lead to a healthier diet and lifestyle.
• A variety of foods can contribute to a healthy diet.
• All foods are required to have a Nutrition Facts label with the exception of raw produce, some fresh meat cuts, and foods with zero nutritional content such as coffee, tea, or spices.
• https://guidingstars.com/guiding-stars-news/10-surprisingly-unfamiliar-nutrition-facts-label-facts/
• https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/history
• https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-basics/when-and-why-was-fda-formed

Recommended Companion Resources

• Food Models
• How to Read Food Labels, From Free-range to Fair Trade
• How to Read Nutrition Facts - Food Labels Made Easy video
• Labels Unwrapped
• Nutrition Ag Mag
• Nutrition Research Articles

Jessica Clark

Organization

National Center for Agricultural Literacy

Culture, Society, Economy & Geography

• Explain the role of government in the production and consumption of food (T5.9-12.i)

Food, Health, and Lifestyle

• Identify how various foods can contribute to a healthy diet (T3.9-12.g)
• Accurately read labels on processed food to determine nutrition content (T3.9-12.a)

Science, Technology, Engineering & Math

• Provide examples of how processing adds value to agricultural goods and fosters economic growth both locally and globally (T4.9-12.g)

Education Content Standards

Health/nutrition (health).

Health Standard 1: Comprehend functional health knowledge to enhance health.

• 1.12.2    Predict how healthy behaviors affect the health status of self and others.

Health Standard 2: Analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other determinants on health behaviors.

• 2.12.5    Analyze how laws, rules, policies, and regulations influence health promotion and disease prevention.

Health Standard 3: Demonstrate health literacy by accessing valid and reliable health information, products, and services to enhance health.

• 3.12.3    Access valid and reliable health information from print and electronic materials that are available from credible health organizations (e.g., federal, professional, voluntary).

Health Standard 5: Demonstrate effective decision-making skills to enhance health.

• 5.12.2    Discuss the consequences of being indecisive when making a healthy decision.

Health Standard 6: Demonstrate effective goal-setting skills to enhance health.

• 6.12.1    Assess personal health practices and behaviors.

Health Standard 7: Demonstrate observable health and safety practices.

• 7.12.1    Demonstrate age and developmentally appropriate health and safety practices that prevent or reduce the risk of disease and injury and improve quality of life.

Common Core Connections

Anchor standards: speaking and listening.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

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