How to Read and Understand Nutrition Labels

If you like Seriously know what you are eating, take time to read the nutrition label on the package.

This text and number information box breaks down the contents of food and drinks. Knowing what to look for can make the process of putting together nutritious and healthy meals much easier.

Let’s take a look at what you can learn with the help of registered dietitians Kayla Kopp, RD, LD, and Beth Czerwony, RD, LD.

What is a nutrition label?

Nutrition labels are meant to be helpful tools for making healthy food choices. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revamped the “Nutrition Facts” label in 2016 to help people know what they are putting into their bodies.

There is a lot of information packed into the small rectangular boxes printed on packaged foods and drinks. Here’s what you’ll see and what you can get from it.

Serving size

What you think might be one serving of your favorite food… well, BIGGER than one serving as defined by the FDA.

The serving size on a product’s nutrition label represents the amount of food that people typically eat in one sitting. It could be listed as a count (like 15 crackers). It could be done as a ratio (like 1/4 of a pizza). It could be by volume (as in cups or fluid ounces).

Sounds simple, right? Unfortunately, it is common to misjudge serving size. “People often underestimate what serving is all about,” says Kopp. “More often than not, you’re probably eating more than one.”

Since serving size provides the basis for the rest of the nutrition label, that’s a significant issue. Information on calories, fats, nutrients and more is based on what is defined as a serving.

To help consumers, some nutrition labels contain a set of facts based on the contents of the entire package. Anyone who has finished a pint of ice cream in one sitting understands that logic.

“It’s a supplement based on what people might eat,” Czerwony noted. “It gives a better understanding of what you’re eating without having to do math based on the number of servings in a package.”

If you want to get a handle on serving size, Kopp recommends measuring your foods and drinks to see what’s considered a single serving. (WARNING: The results may surprise you.)

Calories

Calorie counts on nutrition labels are hard to miss. They are highlighted in BIG BOLD PRINT at the top of nutrition labels. There is a reason for this too: There are calories extremely important for health.

Let’s start with the basics: Calories measure energy. The calorie number you see on a nutrition label represents the energy available in foods and beverages, Kopp explains. You need to eat calories for your body to function.

But the most important thing is to balance the calories you take in with the calories your body burns for fuel. Eating more calories than your body uses can lead to obesity and overweight and related health issues.

A diet of 2,000 calories per day is considered sufficient for most people. But individual calorie needs can vary greatly depending on a person’s age, sex, height, weight and activity level.

So, with that in mind, how can you use calorie counts on nutrition labels to help make meal choices?

In general, Kopp says food with about 100 calories per serving is a moderate calorie food that fits a healthy diet. Try to avoid or limit high-calorie foods that have 400 calories or more per serving.

And as noted, keep serving sizes in mind when calculating total calories. “If you eat a three-serving package of cookies, you’ve eaten three times the number of calories listed on the nutrition label,” says Kopp.

Nutrients

Information on key nutrients fills the middle of nutrition labels. Some of these nutrients – such as dietary fibre, calcium and vitamin D – are important for good health but are often lacking in people’s diets.

Other listed nutrients – such as saturated fat, added sugars and sodium – are often eaten in excess and linked to various health conditions.

Let’s look at what you can learn and how you can use that knowledge.

Fats

The biggest number you’ll see here is total fats, but it’s not the most important piece of information. “The real key is saturated and trans fats,” says Czerwony. “Those are the ones that can contribute to heart disease and other health issues.”

Foods high in saturated fat include fatty cuts of beef and pork or poultry with skin, as well as animal-based foods such as eggs and full-fat dairy products. Baked goods, fried foods and many highly processed snacks are also full of it.

Ideally, saturated fats should not be more than 5% to 6% of your daily caloric intake, which is about 100 to 120 calories. (A gram of saturated fat is 9 calories, so multiply the grams of saturated fat in a product by 9 to calculate calories from saturated fat.)

As bad as saturated fats are, trans fats are worse. That explains why the FDA banned them in 2018. But small amounts can still be found in some packaged foods.

Cholesterol

Worldwide, it is estimated that almost 40% of the adult population has high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia). Excess lipids (or fats) in your blood increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

So, should you be watching this number closely? It may not be necessary if you are watching your saturated fats. “Most foods that are high in cholesterol are also high in saturated fat,” says Kopp.

But if you want to track cholesterol intake, it’s best to stay below 300 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per day on the typical 2,000-calorie diet.

Sodium

In many ways, sodium (and salt) gets a bad rap. The truth is that your body needs sodium. It is an important electrolyte that balances fluid levels in your body and helps your nerves and muscles work well.

But the problem is that most of us eat too much sodium. If done in excess, it can contribute to health issues such as high blood pressure, stroke and kidney damage.

Kopp recommends keeping sodium intake to less than 600 mg for each of your three daily meals and less than 200 mg for two daily snacks. (It is recommended that daily consumption remain below 2,300 mg.)

If you start looking at labels, you might be surprised to see where sodium hides. Examples of high sodium foods include:

• Canned soups.
• Others like soy sauce and BBQ sauce.
• Frozen meals.
• Pickles and olives.
• Processed meat.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates can be complicated, with a good side and a not so good side. The nutrition label gives a glimpse of both with information on dietary fiber (the good) and sugar (the not so good).

• Dietary fiber it works to aid digestion, prevent constipation and promote weight loss – all nice and desirable qualities. Aim to get at least 25 to 35 grams of fiber each day, says Kopp.
• Added sugars adding empty or non-nutritive calories can lead to weight gain. They are abundant in various food items from processed white bread to desserts, salad dressings and cereals. US dietary guidelines recommend no more than 48 grams (12 teaspoons) of added sugar per day.

People with prediabetes and diabetes often need to watch their consumption of carbohydrates, which raise blood sugar, very closely.

Protein

Protein deficiency is usually not a problem for most people on typical diets, but it is possible to go overboard. Kopp recommends aiming for 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal. (Requirements may increase if you are trying to build muscle or recover from an injury.)

Vitamins and minerals

Vitamins and minerals help your body grow, develop and work properly. Depending on the product, a nutrition label may list up to 14 different vitamins and 14 different minerals.

But all nutrition labels must include the following nutrients, which many people lack in their diet:

• Calciumwhich promotes strong teeth and bones, helps with blood clotting and regulates heart rhythms and nerve functions.
• Vitamin Dwhich helps strengthen bones and regulate blood pressure and hormones.
• Iron keep blood oxygenated and healthy, prevent anemia. It also protects against infections and helps with growth and development, especially during pregnancy.
• Potassiuman electrolyte that helps support healthy blood pressure.

Health officials have called the vitamins and minerals listed above “nutrients of public health concern”. A low intake of them can lead to serious health problems such as anaemia, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Percent daily value (% DV)

The right column of a nutrition facts label lists the percentage of the daily value (written as % DV) for each nutrient in one serving of a food or drink. You can use this number to determine whether a food is high or low in a particular nutrient.

A nutrient with 5% dv or lower is considered to have a low daily value. A nutrient with a DV of 20% or higher has a high daily value.

Overall, it is generally better:

• Lower DV % for added sugar, sodium and saturated fat.
• % dv higher for fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Why nutrition labels matter

Understanding how to read a nutrition label correctly can help you compare and choose between different brands or similar products. Learning how the numbers on the nutrition label affect your overall health can help you make informed purchases.

“Look at nutrition labels as a reliable source of information,” says Czerwony. “You learn them yourself. It takes a little time, but it’s a small investment and what it can mean for your health.”