How to Read Nutrition Labels
Lindsay Knake
| 4 min read
When you look at a nutrition label, there are a lot of numbers, measurements and nutrients. Nutrition labels on packaged foods are there to help you understand what’s in them and how you can make healthy choices.
Here is a guide to reading nutrition labels.
Serving Size
The serving size is a standardized measure of the amount of the item people typically eat or drink, not a recommendation of how much you should eat or drink, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The size is listed in cups, ounces, pieces and/or grams. The following nutrient amounts are related to the serving size rather than the entire package.
Calories
When we eat and drink, our bodies break down the food into energy that we use or store for later. Calories are a measure of how much energy is in a serving of food or beverage. A moderate number of calories is 100 calories per serving, while 400 calories per serving is high.
A nutrition label uses 2,000 calories a day as a guidance for how many calories a serving provides toward your daily value, but your caloric needs vary depend on your age, sex, weight, height and activity level. You can use a calculator to estimate your daily calorie needs.
Nutrients
Next, the label shows key nutrients in the portion of food. This section can help you determine if the item has too many or too few nutrients for your health needs.
Fats
This item lists total fats, saturated fats and trans fats in percentage of daily value. The latter two are the most important to know as they pose health risks such as high LDL (or bad) cholesterol and heart disease. The FDA banned added trans fats in 2018, but there are small amounts of it naturally occurring in animal and dairy products.
Limiting your intake of foods with saturated and trans fats is beneficial to your health; your daily caloric intake shouldn’t contain more than 5% saturated fats.
Cholesterol
This is a measure of lipids, or fats, in the serving of food. Foods high in saturated fats tend to be high in cholesterol. Try to keep your cholesterol intake as low as possible.
Sodium
Sodium is an important electrolyte that helps your muscles and nerves function properly. Many Americans, however, get too much sodium from packaged and ultra-processed foods. For a 2,000-calorie diet, try to keep your sodium levels below 2,300 milligrams a day.
People who have high blood pressure should talk to their doctor about healthy levels of sodium.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are a complicated part of the nutrition label. This macronutrient provides us with the energy we need to survive and function well, but carbs can be both healthy and unhealthy. Nutrition labels tell us the dietary fiber and added sugars. Fiber is important for overall health; try to get 28 grams per day.
Added sugars, however, can be a source of unhealthy calories that can increase the risk for prediabetes, Type 2 diabetes and weight gain. Try to limit added sugars to 12 teaspoons a day and look for sneaky sources of added sugars in salad dressings, sauces, white breads and cereals.
Protein
Protein is an essential macronutrient for building and repairing muscle. Healthy people with average levels of physical activity generally need about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. You can use a calculator to determine your needs based on your health needs and physical activity.
Daily Value
The % Daily Value, or %DV, is the daily value for each nutrient in a serving of food based on a 2,000 a day calorie diet. Generally, a 5% daily value or less is low, while 20% or more is high.
The rest of the nutrition label will list vitamins and minerals and their daily value per serving. These include vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium, among others.
Talk to your doctor about adjusting your diet if you have a health condition such as heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure.
Image: Getty Images
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