Food nutrition information labels are called Nutrition Facts labels. These labels appear on every commercially processed and packaged food found in the supermarket. The nutrition label lists the nutritional content of a single portion of a food, based on standardized serving sizes. In addition to the amount of each nutrient provided by a particular food, the label lists the percent (%) daily value (DV) for most nutrients, which tells you how the amounts provided by that food fits into your overall daily need for each nutrient.
History
The Nutrition Facts label you see on food packaging today was first required in 1992 as a combined effort of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help consumers better understand what is in the food they are eating. The current label is based on DVs, which replaced the old U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances (U.S. RDA's) for protein, vitamins and minerals. The DVs also reflect official recommendations for carbohydrates and fiber and limits on fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.
Function
The nutrition label allows you to compare different brands of similar food products and ascertain which brand has a better nutritional profile. You can compare similar foods with different nutritional claims, such as reduced-fat, "light," and fat-free versions of a similar flavor of yogurt. You can also keep track of the amount of specific nutrients by making sure your daily total from all products is around 100 percent of the DV. For example, if you want to eat a food that's higher in fat, you can balance it by eating foods that are lower in fat the rest of the day. If you are trying to reach 100 percent of your DV for calcium every day, you can tally up the percentages on the nutrition label to be sure you do.
Benefits
Food nutrition information labels show you exactly how much of each nutrient the foods you choose contribute to your diet so that you are more conscious of the nutritional value of the individual foods you eat. By becoming more conscious of what you eat, you can determine how different types of food fit into a healthful diet. Nutrition Facts labels help you balance your meals by showing you that some foods are higher or lower in certain nutrients than others and as a result, you may need to eat more or less of them to meet your nutritional requirements.
Limitations
The Nutrition Facts label provides a per-serving amount of trans-fats, sugars and protein but does not provide a DV for these components because none has been established. While experts at the FDA know that consuming trans-fats increases the risk of developing factors that lead to heart disease, there is not enough information available for the agency to determine an actual daily limit. Similarly, in nutritional analysis, there is no way to differentiate between the natural sugars found in foods like fruit and milk and the different types of sugars added to food products. You can, however, compare unsweetened and sweetened version of similar products to see the difference. There is no DV for protein because there is currently no concern about the amount of protein in the average American's diet.
Considerations
The %DVs for each nutrient provided on the Nutrition Facts label is based on the nutritional needs of someone who consumes an average 2,000 calorie diet. If you regularly consume fewer or more calories, you will have to make slight mathematical adjustments to determine your individual DVs. If you consume fewer than 2,000 calories, your requirement for some nutrients will be lower and if you consume more than 2,000 calories, your needs will be higher. At the bottom of some Nutrition Facts labels, the DVs for major nutrients on a 2,000 calorie diet are compared to the DVs on a 2,500 calorie diet.
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