MedlinePlus: Food Labeling

MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You

Other Health Topics:

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
XYZ
List of All Topics

Photograph of a man and a woman reading a food label in the kitchen

Related Topics
Go Local
- Services and providers for Food Labeling in the U.S.
- Select from map

Food Labeling

Also called: Nutrition labeling

With all the different products grocery stores offer, it can be hard to make the best food choices. Food labels can make the task a little easier. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires packaged foods to carry labels.

On every food label you will see

Serving size, number of servings and number of calories per serving
Information on the amount of dietary fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, dietary sodium, carbohydrates, dietary proteins, vitamins and minerals in each serving
Definitions for terms such as low-fat and high-fiber
Information to help you see how a food fits into an overall daily diet

Food and Drug Administration

Start Here

How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
Also available in Spanish
Reading Food Labels(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Test Your Food Label Knowledge!(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)

Basics	Learn More	Multimedia & Cool Tools
Overviews Latest News	Specific Conditions Related Issues	Health Check Tools Tutorials Videos
Research	Reference Shelf	For You
Journal Articles	Organizations Law and Policy	Children Teenagers

Overviews
- Deciphering Food Labels(Nemours Foundation)
- Food Label Helps Consumers Make Healthier Choices(Food and Drug Administration)
Latest News
- Fast-Food Diners Don't Check Calorie Content(03/26/2009, Reuters Health)
- Food Allergy Labeling Not Always Accurate(03/16/2009, HealthDay)
Specific Conditions
- Food Labels Identify Allergens More Clearly(Food and Drug Administration)
- Organic and Other Environmentally Friendly Foods(Nemours Foundation)
- Trans Fat Now Listed with Saturated Fat and Cholesterol on the Nutrition Facts Label(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
  Also available in Spanish
Related Issues
- Nutrient Content Claims and Percent (%) Daily Value(American Diabetes Association)
- Nutrition Facts Label(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition) - Links to PDF
Return to top
Health Check Tools
- Test Your Food Label Knowledge!(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
- Using the Food Label Activity(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Return to top
Tutorials
- Make Your Calories Count: Use the Nutrition Facts Label for Healthy Weight Management(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
Return to top
Videos
- Food Label and You: Check It Out(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
Return to top
Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Return to top
Organizations
Return to top
Law and Policy
- Claims That Can Be Made for Conventional Foods and Dietary Supplements(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition)
- FDA's Standards for High Quality Foods(Food and Drug Administration)
- Food Labeling Regulations(Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service)
- Organic Labeling and Marketing Information(Dept. of Agriculture) - Links to PDF
Return to top
Children
- Figuring Out Food Labels(Nemours Foundation)
- Food Labels Tell the Story!(National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)
Return to top
Teenagers
- The Deal with Food Labels(National Women's Health Information Center)
- What Do Food Labels Really Say?(Nemours Foundation)
Return to top

Other Health Topics:

Related Topics

Go Local