You will find a Food Nutrition Facts label on canned and packaged foods. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration provides the nutrition facts label so you can determine where the nutrients in the food you are eating come from, the percentage of vitamins contained in the food, and the amount of fiber, protein and type of fat contained in the product.
Serving Size
When you look at the serving size on the nutrition facts label of the food you are considering to eat, you need to take in account whether the serving size is a cup, a tablespoon or pieces. If there are three servings in a package, and each serving is 10 pieces, then three servings would equal 30 pieces.
Calories
Calories per serving and from fat are the next section of the food nutrition label. Calories are obtained from fat, protein or carbohydrates. Knowing how many calories you are consuming with each serving and where those calories are coming from is important in managing your weight. If you are eating peanut butter and the serving size is 2 tablespoons, and there are 200 calories in total, you need to look at the calories from fat to determine the total fat content.
Nutrients
Most people obtain the majority of their nutrients from the fruits, vegetables and meat they eat. Any additional nutrients listed on the nutrition label such as vitamins and fats should be consumed in moderation to avoid a diet too high in fat or protein and the risk of heart disease or high cholesterol.
Percent Daily Value
The percent daily value is based on a 2,000 calorie adult diet. The calories needed differ for males, females, adults and children. Kidshealth.org advises you consider the daily calories eaten by your child when determining the nutrition value of a food item, as food labels aren't designed with children in mind.
Cholesterol and Sodium
The amount of cholesterol and sodium you are getting from a food product is listed on the nutrition label as well. The label does not differentiate between the type of cholesterol (HDL or LDL) in the food as it does with the amount of fat. You have to rely on the percent of daily value column to show you how much cholesterol or sodium is in each serving.
Vitamins
If a food item contains any vitamins, those will be listed on the bottom of the food nutrition label. It will not list the amount in grams as with the fat and protein, but the total percentage of the daily recommended value per serving.
Protein, Sugar and Trans Fat
Sugar and trans fat do not have an established recommended daily value. The FDA recommends you compare labels of similar products and choose the item with the lower amount to moderate the amount of sugar and trans fat in your diet. The amount of protein is not considered a health concern by the FDA and is not listed under the percent of daily value unless the product is listed as "high in protein."
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