How to Read the Nutrition Facts Label

Serving Size: Standardized size based on amounts people actually eat. Similar food products have similar serving sizes making it easier to compare foods in the same category. For example, the nutritional content of two similar types of tomato sauce can be compared.

Sample food label for Macaroni & Cheese:
Nutrition Facts label

% Daily Value: Indicates how food fits within a 2,000 calorie diet. Based on dietary recommendations for most healthy people. This helps you to understand if the food has "a lot" or "a little" of the most important nutrients.

Middle Section: The nutrients listed in the middle section are the ones most important to good health. This helps you to calculate your daily limits for fat, fiber, sodium and other nutrients.

Vitamins & Minerals: The Percent Daily Value is the same as the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamins and minerals (same levels). Only these vitamins and minerals are required on labels although the manufacturer has the option to include others too.

Note: Numbers on the Nutrition Facts label may be rounded for labeling (no decimal proportions listed).