How to Read a Nutrition Facts Label: A Plain-English Walkthrough

Walk down any grocery aisle and you will see the same black-and-white box on the back of almost every package. The Nutrition Facts label is packed with numbers, but it is easier to use than it looks. This walkthrough covers each section from top to bottom and shows how to compare similar products.

Note: This is general information, not personal medical or dietary advice. Nutrition needs differ from person to person, so check with a doctor or registered dietitian if you have specific health concerns.

Start with serving size

The serving size sits near the top, and everything below it is based on it. Servings per container tells you how many of those servings are in the package.

Here is the catch: the serving size is not a recommendation for how much to eat. It is a standardized amount based on what people typically eat. A small bottle of juice or a bag of chips may contain more than one serving. If you eat the whole package and it holds two servings, you need to double every number on the label.

Calories

Calories measure the energy you get from a serving. The number is shown in large, bold type. How many calories a person needs each day depends on age, size, activity level and other factors, so there is no single right number for everyone.

A common rule of thumb is that 40 calories per serving is considered low, 100 is moderate and 400 or more is high. These are rough guides for a single food, not strict rules.

Nutrients to limit

Below calories, the label lists several nutrients that many people try to keep an eye on:

• Total fat, with saturated fat and trans fat listed underneath. Current U.S. dietary guidance suggests keeping saturated fat modest, and trans fat as low as possible.
• Cholesterol, found in animal-based foods.
• Sodium, which is the salt content. It adds up quickly in canned soups, frozen meals, deli meats and sauces.
• Added sugars, listed under total carbohydrate. This is sugar added during processing, as opposed to sugar that occurs naturally in foods like fruit or plain milk.

The added sugars line is useful because it separates a sweetened yogurt from a plain one, even though both show some sugar in the total.

Nutrients to look for

The label also lists dietary fiber, protein, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium. Many people do not get enough fiber, vitamin D, calcium and potassium, which is why these are required on the label. Fiber is found in whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruit.

Understanding % Daily Value

The right-hand column shows the % Daily Value (%DV). It tells you how much a serving contributes to a full day's intake of that nutrient, based on a general 2,000-calorie diet.

A quick way to use it:

• 5% DV or less is generally considered low.
• 20% DV or more is generally considered high.

Aim for lower percentages on nutrients you want to limit, such as sodium and saturated fat, and higher percentages on ones you want more of, such as fiber. Your own calorie needs may be higher or lower than 2,000, so treat %DV as a guide rather than a target.

The footnote

At the bottom, a short note explains that the %DV is based on a 2,000-calorie diet. It is a reminder that the percentages are a general reference point.

How to compare similar products

The label is most helpful when you place two similar products side by side. Try these steps:

1. Check the serving sizes first. If one cereal lists a three-quarter cup serving and another lists a full cup, the numbers are not directly comparable.
2. Compare per equal amounts. If needed, do a little math so you are comparing the same quantity.
3. Look at the nutrients that matter to you. This might be sodium, added sugars, fiber or protein, depending on your goals.
4. Read the ingredient list. Ingredients are listed from the largest amount to the smallest, so the first few items tell you what the product is mostly made of.
5. Think about how you will eat it. A slightly higher number in one area may not matter if you eat the food rarely or in small amounts.

Common pitfalls

Front-of-package claims like "natural," "light" or "multigrain" do not always tell the full story. The Nutrition Facts label and ingredient list give a more complete picture.

Also, do not treat any one number as a verdict on a food. Labels describe what is in a product, not whether it is good or bad. Your overall eating pattern over days and weeks matters far more than a single item.

Bottom line

Start with serving size, check calories, scan the nutrients you want to limit and those you want more of, and use %DV as a quick guide: 5% or less is low, 20% or more is high. When comparing products, make sure you are looking at equal serving sizes. Your own needs may differ from the general reference values, so a healthcare professional or registered dietitian can help you tailor the information to you.