Nutrition facts labels are mandatory and come under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration. The three important nutrition facts that each label must provide include the serving size of the food, the amounts of major nutrients in one serving of the food and the percent of daily values of nutrients each serving provides. You can use the information on the nutrition facts label to plan healthy meals and monitor your intake of major nutrients.
Serving Size
The serving size, followed by the total number of servings in the package, is the first piece of information on the nutrition facts label. Serving size varies for each food; for foods like crackers, the nutrition facts label lists the number of crackers that make up a serving and the corresponding weight of the serving. However, the label on a container of macaroni and cheese provides the serving size in cups as well as in grams. Paying attention to the serving size and the number of servings in a package is an excellent way to control your portion size.
Calories per Serving
Nutrition facts labels specify both the total number of calories in one serving of the food and the calories contributed by fats. This information gives you an idea of the amount of fat in the food at a glance. Since each gram of fat provides 9 calories, the greater the number of calories from fat, the greater the fat content of the food. Both carbohydrates and proteins provide 4 calories per gram and supply the remaining calories in the food.
Other Nutrient Information
Along with the amount of total fat present in one serving of the food, the label lists the amount of saturated and trans fat. Similarly, you find fiber and sugars listed under total carbohydrates. Nutrition labels also include the amount of cholesterol, sodium, calcium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C in a serving of the food. For a healthy diet, you should choose foods that contain low amounts of saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, cholesterol and sodium.
Percent Daily Value
The nutrition facts label gives percent daily values for nutrients in one serving of the food based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Since you may need more or less than the 2,000-calorie diet, you should use the percent daily values listed on nutrition facts label as a guide to determine your intake. The actual daily nutrient needs for a person whose calorie requirements are 2,000 are listed in the footnote at the end of the nutrition facts label.
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Labeling and Nutrition
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label
- Hall Health Primary care Center: UW Seattle; Reading a Nutrition Label; Matt Nguyen
- MayoClinic: Nutrition and Healthy Eating; Nutrition Facts: An Interactive Guide to Food Labels; January 2010
Member Comments