A Beginner’s Guide to Reading Nutrition Labels

A nutrition label is easier to read when you know which parts to check first.

Labels can look crowded, but they follow the same layout on most packaged foods. This guide explains what each main section shows, so you can compare products and understand the information on the package. It is general education only, not personal nutrition advice.

Start With Serving Size

Check the serving size and the number of servings in the package first, because all the numbers that follow are for one serving. If you eat two servings, the amounts shown are doubled for that portion. A serving size is a measured amount on the label, not a suggestion for how much to eat.

Read Calories in Context

Calories show the energy in one serving. Compare calories only when serving sizes are similar, and check the serving size first if two packages look alike. The label also lists nutrients, so calories alone do not describe a whole product.

Use Percent Daily Value

The Percent Daily Value, or %DV, shows how much a nutrient in one serving contributes to a daily total, based on a 2,000-calorie reference diet shown on the label. As a general guide from the FDA, 5% DV or less is considered low and 20% DV or more is considered high for a nutrient. Use %DV to compare similar products, keeping serving sizes the same.

• Compare %DV only for the same serving size.
• Look at added sugars separately from total sugars.
• Check the ingredient list for the order and names used.

Try This Today

Today, pick one packaged food, check its serving size, then read its calories and one %DV value.

More Ways to Live Comfortably

How to Make Everyday Meal Preparation Easier and Easy Ways to Reduce Kitchen Food Waste both connect label reading to everyday kitchen choices, with simpler prep and less food thrown away.

Sources: FDA: How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label.