How to Read a Nutrition Label
Serving sizes, calories, the works: A primer on the basics.
Nutrition labels are required by the Food and Drug Administration on most foods sold in the United States. There are two standardized formats: a detailed vertical listing under the title “Nutrition Facts,” and a more abbreviated horizontal listing of food components by percentage, often found on smaller brands and locally produced foods.
Serving Size. How many servings are in what you’re buying? If the can holds 2 servings but you eat the whole can, you’ll need to double the calories, fats, salts and everything else listed below the serving size.
Calories. If the label says 150 calories, that’s the amount in a single serving. This line also breaks out how many of these calories come from fat.
% Daily Value. This column measures how much of a nutrient one servings holds. Measurements are based on a diet of 2,000 calories a day—you may need more or fewer calories, but this is still a good reference.
Nutrients. Companies list the amounts of fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, protein, and key vitamins and minerals on their labels. You’ll want to limit these: total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium. You’ll want more of these: dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron.
