A Nutrition Label Guide

A nutrition label contains information about nutrient values of a product and can also be used to compare nutrients in different products. In 1994, the nutritional information labels began appearing on all processed foods as a result of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, or NLEA, passed in 1990. The nutrition label is required to stand out clearly, include the serving size, number of servings per container, calories per container, list of nutrients and daily values.

Servings

Below the "Nutrition Facts" title on the label the first thing that you will see is the serving size. A serving size indicates a standardized amount of that food or drink that is considered one portion. All of the succeeding nutrient information on the label is based on a single serving size. The label also specifies the number of servings in the package or container. For example, if a box of cookies says that two cookies are one serving, then one cookie will have half the calories of a serving and eating four cookies will have double the calories in a serving.

Calories

A calorie is the general term for the energy in food. The nutrition label requires the word "calories" to be in bold print on the label. Paying attention to calories can help you maintain, lose or gain weight. Many people consume calories without consuming beneficial vitamins and minerals. These are empty calories, and often come from simple sugars like cakes and from high fat foods like French fries.

In addition to stating the calories, the nutrition label is also required to state the number of calories from fat that a food provides. If most of the calories in the food come from fat, then you know that the food is a high-fat food. In its Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Institute of Medicine recommends that in a single day the average American adult should consume 20 percent to 35 percent of calories from fat depending on age.

Nutrients

Following the calories portion of the nutrition label is the list of nutrients. The first nutrients listed are total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, fiber, sugars and protein. The Institute of Medicine, IOM, recommends that Americans should lower intake of fats, cholesterol, sodium and added sugars. Eating excessive amounts of these nutrients may lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease or hypertension. The IOM also reported that all Americans should increase dietary fiber intake.

In addition to the above mentioned nutrients, the nutrition label also provides the daily value in percentages for Vitamin A, Calcium, Vitamin C and iron. These nutrients are essential in promoting healthy bones and reducing the risk of disease. You can use the nutrition label to choose foods with a high daily value of these nutrients.

Daily Values

The % Daily Value or the %DV are recommended intake levels set by the Food and Drug Administration. The %DV on the nutrition labels are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. If you are on a 2,000 calorie diet, 300g of carbohydrate is the recommended intake for a single day. If you consume a food that has 30g of carbohydrates, its %DV for total carbohydrate will be 10 percent. Many people may not know how many calories they consume, but the %DV is meant to help consumers determine if a food or drink is high or low in particular nutrients. If a drink provides 90 percent of the daily value, then you know that this is a high fat food. The %DV helps consumers compare different foods to see which foods are higher or lower in particular nutrients.

Daily Values Footnote

The Daily Values footnote shows the Daily Values for nutrients at two calorie levels; a 2,000 calorie diet and a 2,500 calorie diet. This is important to encourage consumers to consider their own diets and calculate their needs. Visit the FDA's website to get help calculating calorie needs and finding your own daily values. The footnote also includes dietary advice for some of the nutrients. For example, the footnote says that for a 2,000 calorie diet the consumer should have "less than" 65g of total fat.