Practical tips on how to read a nutrition label so you can make informed food choices by understanding the nutrient content and serving size information of packaged foods.
Required on all packaged foods but seemingly complex, nutrition labels can feel overwhelming to peruse when making food choices. We totally get it, and are here to share some guidance on the different parts of a label, the areas of the label to focus on, and what to consider based on your goals. After reading this article, we’ll feel justified in “labeling” you a nutrition expert - let’s dive in!
What is a Nutrition Label and Why They Exist
Nutrition labels have only been around for 30 years or so - in 1966, the USDA began requiring all food products to contain a list of ingredients, and in 1990, a detailed nutrition fact panel as well. The label has undergone recent changes to help support areas of nutrient concern in the American population - serving sizes and total calories are now bolded, for example, to help illustrate the portion and caloric density represented by the nutrition facts. Certain nutrients that aren’t typically of concern for Americans, like vitamins A and C, have been removed from labels and replaced with vitamin D and potassium, which are deficiencies for many Americans.
The new label may help point to areas of focus, but may also still feel a little unclear. Below are some photos of a label - we’ll take some time to review the different sections and what they each mean to your health and wellness.
What to focus on for different goals
Before we break down the different parts of a nutrition label, we want to highlight areas of importance. Most individuals will likely want to pay attention to calorie count and serving size as a starting point. Additionally, keeping an eye on sodium and added sugar are helpful in promoting general wellness. Outside of that, nutrients of concern will vary individual to individual. With some medical conditions, focusing on saturated fat or total carbohydrates may be important, while protein may be a focus for a hard charging athlete. Consulting with a registered dietitian and your doctor is an excellent place to start!
Serving
Serving size indicates the serving size reflected in the nutrition facts. This may be a good place to start when considering your portion size!
Nutrition panels reflect the total servings per package and what is included in one serving size. This package contains 8 servings, and defines one serving as ⅔ cup, or 55 grams.
Calories
Calories are a measurement of total “energy” in a food - calories are needed to create the human body’s fuel source, called Adenosine triphosphate, or ATP). ATP is used to perform daily functions like breathing and moving, as well as more strenuous activities like running or weight lifting. Calorie needs will vary person to person, but can be estimated using calculators like this one.
You’ll notice 230 calories on this label - that means that in 1 serving (⅔ cup), you’ll consume 230 calories. If you wanted to enjoy the full package, you’d consume 1,840 calories total (230 calories x 8 servings).
Total Fat (Macronutrient)
Fat is used for a multitude of things in the body, including creating ATP, stabilizing your body temperature, protecting your organs and producing hormones.
Nutrition labels list grams of total fat, total saturated fat and total trans fat per serving. In the example label, a serving contains 8 grams of fat total, including 1 gram of saturated fat and 0 grams of trans fat. The remaining 7 grams of fat come from mono and polyunsaturated fats – these are sometimes listed on a nutrition label, but aren’t required at this time.
Cholesterol and Sodium
Cholesterol and sodium are required for daily life. Cholesterol is a building block for hormone creation and vitamin D production; while sodium is an electrolyte that supports nerve function and fluid balance. People with specific medical conditions may choose to monitor their sodium and/or cholesterol intake, so this section on a label may be useful to reference.
Both nutrients are listed next, and are boxed in green - 1 serving contains no cholesterol, and 160 mg of sodium; per package, there is 1,280 mg of sodium.
Total Carbohydrate (Macronutrient)
Carbohydrates include the total grams per serving, along with carbohydrate categories like fiber, total sugar and added sugars. Many types of carbohydrates break down into sugar in the body, and act as an energy source for daily living and for exercise. Under the umbrella of “carbohydrates”, you’ll find branches like sugar, starch and fiber; sugar and starch can be used for ATP production, while fiber helps regulate the GI system and can help remove excess cholesterol from the body.
In the example label, there are 37 grams of carbohydrates per serving, which include 4 grams of fiber and 12 grams total sugar (10 of which come from added sugars.) The rest of the carbohydrate grams come from starch.
Protein (Macronutrient)
Protein is the last of the three macronutrients, and is responsible for repair work in the body. Exercise, for example, creates damage to muscle tissue, and the building blocks of protein (amino acids) help repair damaged tissue so it grows back stronger. Protein is listed after carbohydrates; a serving of this product provides 3 grams of protein. You’ll notice the % daily value (DV) isn’t listed - the FDA doesn’t require a % DV unless a claim is made about the product (i.e - “high in protein”) or the product is made for children under 4 years of age.
Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, Potassium (Micronutrients)
The final section of a nutrition label includes four micronutrients. Micronutrients are nutrients the body requires in small amounts each day, whereas macronutrients are required in larger amounts. The four listed on a nutrition label are vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium. Each micronutrient has unique roles in the body – calcium and vitamin D work together to build strong bones and teeth -- calcium helps build their strength and vitamin D supports helps the body absorb the calcium and phosphorus you consume to help build strong bones and teeth. Iron is crucial to red blood cell production, and potassium helps maintain normal fluid balance inside cells. As mentioned earlier, these nutrients are featured because many Americans do not consume them in sufficient amounts. Other nutrients may be included in this food, though the FDA doesn’t require them to be listed at this time.
How to use this information
Now that we can “label” you a nutrition label expert, we encourage you to use your newfound knowledge when purchasing packaged foods. Consider what you value when it comes to nutrition - are you monitoring your sodium intake? How about your calcium intake? Determine what matters to you personally, then consider your choices mindfully. As an example, some packaged foods cater to specific dietary needs. While knowing the details around a label claim isn’t necessary, keywords on the label can help you make better choices easily, and can lead you to reviewing the full nutrition fact panel for even more insight. Here’s to the healthiest, and most informed you, yet!
Practical tips on how to read a nutrition label so you can make informed food choices by understanding the nutrient content and serving size information of packaged foods.
Required on all packaged foods but seemingly complex, nutrition labels can feel overwhelming to peruse when making food choices. We totally get it, and are here to share some guidance on the different parts of a label, the areas of the label to focus on, and what to consider based on your goals. After reading this article, we’ll feel justified in “labeling” you a nutrition expert - let’s dive in!
What is a Nutrition Label and Why They Exist
Nutrition labels have only been around for 30 years or so - in 1966, the USDA began requiring all food products to contain a list of ingredients, and in 1990, a detailed nutrition fact panel as well. The label has undergone recent changes to help support areas of nutrient concern in the American population - serving sizes and total calories are now bolded, for example, to help illustrate the portion and caloric density represented by the nutrition facts. Certain nutrients that aren’t typically of concern for Americans, like vitamins A and C, have been removed from labels and replaced with vitamin D and potassium, which are deficiencies for many Americans.
The new label may help point to areas of focus, but may also still feel a little unclear. Below are some photos of a label - we’ll take some time to review the different sections and what they each mean to your health and wellness.
What to focus on for different goals
Before we break down the different parts of a nutrition label, we want to highlight areas of importance. Most individuals will likely want to pay attention to calorie count and serving size as a starting point. Additionally, keeping an eye on sodium and added sugar are helpful in promoting general wellness. Outside of that, nutrients of concern will vary individual to individual. With some medical conditions, focusing on saturated fat or total carbohydrates may be important, while protein may be a focus for a hard charging athlete. Consulting with a registered dietitian and your doctor is an excellent place to start!
Serving
Serving size indicates the serving size reflected in the nutrition facts. This may be a good place to start when considering your portion size!
Nutrition panels reflect the total servings per package and what is included in one serving size. This package contains 8 servings, and defines one serving as ⅔ cup, or 55 grams.
Calories
Calories are a measurement of total “energy” in a food - calories are needed to create the human body’s fuel source, called Adenosine triphosphate, or ATP). ATP is used to perform daily functions like breathing and moving, as well as more strenuous activities like running or weight lifting. Calorie needs will vary person to person, but can be estimated using calculators like this one.
You’ll notice 230 calories on this label - that means that in 1 serving (⅔ cup), you’ll consume 230 calories. If you wanted to enjoy the full package, you’d consume 1,840 calories total (230 calories x 8 servings).
Total Fat (Macronutrient)
Fat is used for a multitude of things in the body, including creating ATP, stabilizing your body temperature, protecting your organs and producing hormones.
Nutrition labels list grams of total fat, total saturated fat and total trans fat per serving. In the example label, a serving contains 8 grams of fat total, including 1 gram of saturated fat and 0 grams of trans fat. The remaining 7 grams of fat come from mono and polyunsaturated fats – these are sometimes listed on a nutrition label, but aren’t required at this time.
Cholesterol and Sodium
Cholesterol and sodium are required for daily life. Cholesterol is a building block for hormone creation and vitamin D production; while sodium is an electrolyte that supports nerve function and fluid balance. People with specific medical conditions may choose to monitor their sodium and/or cholesterol intake, so this section on a label may be useful to reference.
Both nutrients are listed next, and are boxed in green - 1 serving contains no cholesterol, and 160 mg of sodium; per package, there is 1,280 mg of sodium.
Total Carbohydrate (Macronutrient)
Carbohydrates include the total grams per serving, along with carbohydrate categories like fiber, total sugar and added sugars. Many types of carbohydrates break down into sugar in the body, and act as an energy source for daily living and for exercise. Under the umbrella of “carbohydrates”, you’ll find branches like sugar, starch and fiber; sugar and starch can be used for ATP production, while fiber helps regulate the GI system and can help remove excess cholesterol from the body.
In the example label, there are 37 grams of carbohydrates per serving, which include 4 grams of fiber and 12 grams total sugar (10 of which come from added sugars.) The rest of the carbohydrate grams come from starch.
Protein (Macronutrient)
Protein is the last of the three macronutrients, and is responsible for repair work in the body. Exercise, for example, creates damage to muscle tissue, and the building blocks of protein (amino acids) help repair damaged tissue so it grows back stronger. Protein is listed after carbohydrates; a serving of this product provides 3 grams of protein. You’ll notice the % daily value (DV) isn’t listed - the FDA doesn’t require a % DV unless a claim is made about the product (i.e - “high in protein”) or the product is made for children under 4 years of age.
Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, Potassium (Micronutrients)
The final section of a nutrition label includes four micronutrients. Micronutrients are nutrients the body requires in small amounts each day, whereas macronutrients are required in larger amounts. The four listed on a nutrition label are vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium. Each micronutrient has unique roles in the body – calcium and vitamin D work together to build strong bones and teeth -- calcium helps build their strength and vitamin D supports helps the body absorb the calcium and phosphorus you consume to help build strong bones and teeth. Iron is crucial to red blood cell production, and potassium helps maintain normal fluid balance inside cells. As mentioned earlier, these nutrients are featured because many Americans do not consume them in sufficient amounts. Other nutrients may be included in this food, though the FDA doesn’t require them to be listed at this time.
How to use this information
Now that we can “label” you a nutrition label expert, we encourage you to use your newfound knowledge when purchasing packaged foods. Consider what you value when it comes to nutrition - are you monitoring your sodium intake? How about your calcium intake? Determine what matters to you personally, then consider your choices mindfully. As an example, some packaged foods cater to specific dietary needs. While knowing the details around a label claim isn’t necessary, keywords on the label can help you make better choices easily, and can lead you to reviewing the full nutrition fact panel for even more insight. Here’s to the healthiest, and most informed you, yet!
