What’s on the

Nutrition Facts Label

The Nutrition Facts label found on packaged foods and beverages is your daily tool for making
informed food choices that contribute to healthy lifelong eating habits. Explore it today and discover the
wealth of information it contains!

Servings Per Container shows the

total number of servings in the entire food package
4 servings per container or container.
Serving size 1 1/2 cup (208g)
• It is common for one package of food to contain more
than one serving.
240
Amount per serving

Calories • Some containers may also have a label with two

% Daily Value*
columns—one column listing the amount of calories and
Total Fat 4g 5%
nutrients in one serving and the other column listing this
Saturated Fat 1.5g 8%
information for the entire package.
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 5mg 2% Serving Size is based on the amount of
Sodium 430mg 19% food that is customarily eaten at one time and
Total Carbohydrate 46g 17% is not a recommendation of how much to eat. The
Dietary Fiber 7g 25% nutrition information listed on the Nutrition Facts label is
Total Sugars 4g usually based on one serving of the food; however,
Includes 2g Added Sugars 4% some containers may also have information displayed
Protein 11g per package.

Vitamin D 2mcg 10% • Serving size is shown as a common household measure

Calcium 260mg 20% that is appropriate to the food (such as cup, tablespoon,
Iron 6mg 35% piece, slice, or jar), followed by the metric amount in
Potassium 240mg 6% grams (g).
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in • When comparing calories and nutrients in different foods,
a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories
a day is used for general nutrition advice. check the serving size to make an accurate comparison.

Calories refers to the total number of As a general guide:

calories, or “energy,” supplied from all sources
(carbohydrate, fat, protein, and alcohol) in a serving • 100 calories per serving of an individual
of the food. packaged food is considered moderate
• 400 calories or more per serving of an
• To achieve or maintain a healthy body weight,
individual packaged food is considered high
balance the number of calories you eat and drink
with the number of calories your body uses.
• 2,000 calories a day is used as a general guide for Tip: The terms “fat-free” and “no added
nutrition advice. Your calorie needs may be sugars” do not mean “calorie-free.”
higher or lower and vary depending on your age, These food items may have as many
sex, height, weight, and physical activity level. calories as the regular versions. Always
Learn your number at www.choosemyplate.gov/ check the Nutrition Facts label and
resources/MyPlatePlan. compare the calories and nutrients in the
modified version to the regular version.

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 4 servings per container
Serving size 1 1/2 cup (208g)
% Daily Value (%DV) shows how much
240
Amount per serving
a nutrient in a serving of the food contributes to a total
Calories daily diet.
% Daily Value* • The %DV column doesn’t add up vertically to 100%. Instead,
Total Fat 4g 5% the %DV is the percentage of the Daily Value for each nutrient
Saturated Fat 1.5g 8% in a serving of the food. The Daily Values are reference amounts
Trans Fat 0g (in grams, milligrams, or micrograms) of nutrients to consume
Cholesterol 5mg 2% or not to exceed each day.
Sodium 430mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 46g 17%
For example, the Daily Value for saturated fat is less than 20
Dietary Fiber 7g 25%
grams (g) per day (based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet), which
Total Sugars 4g
equals 100% DV. If the Nutrition Facts label says one serving of a
Includes 2g Added Sugars 4%
food contains 1.5 g of saturated fat, then the %DV for saturated
Protein 11g
fat for this specific food is 8%. That means the food contains 8%
of the maximum amount of saturated fat that an average person
Vitamin D 2mcg 10% should eat in an entire day.
Calcium 260mg 20%
• Some nutrients on the Nutrition Facts label do not have a %DV,
Iron 6mg 35%
so use the number of grams to compare and choose products.
Potassium 240mg 6%
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in
a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories
a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Using %DV
• Compare Foods: Use %DV to compare food products (remember to make sure the serving size is the
same) and to choose products that are higher in nutrients you want to get more of and lower in nutrients
you want to get less of.

As a general guide:
• 5% DV or less of a nutrient per serving is considered low
• 20% DV or more of a nutrient per serving is considered high

• Understand Nutrient Content Claims: Use %DV to help distinguish one claim from another, such as
“light,” “low,” and “reduced.” Simply compare %DVs in each food product to see which one is higher or
lower in a particular nutrient. There is no need to memorize definitions.
• Manage Dietary Trade-Offs: Use %DV to make dietary trade-offs with other foods throughout the day.
You don’t have to give up a favorite food to have a healthy diet. When a food you like is high in a nutrient
you want to get less of—or low in a nutrient you want to get more of—you can balance it with foods that
are low (or high) in that nutrient at other times of the day.

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 4 servings per container
Serving size 1 1/2 cup (208g) Nutrients
The Nutrition Facts label can help you learn about the nutrient
240
Amount per serving

Calories content of many foods in your diet.

% Daily Value* • The Nutrition Facts label must list: total fat, saturated fat,
Total Fat 4g 5% trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber,
Saturated Fat 1.5g 8% total sugars, added sugars, protein, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and
Trans Fat 0g potassium.
Cholesterol 5mg 2%
• The Nutrition Facts label may also list: monounsaturated fat,
Sodium 430mg 19%
polyunsaturated fat, soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, sugar alcohols,
Total Carbohydrate 46g 17%
vitamins (biotin, choline, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin,
Dietary Fiber 7g 25%
thiamin, and vitamins A, B6, B12, C, E, and K) and minerals
Total Sugars 4g
(chloride, chromium, copper, iodine, magnesium, manganese,
Includes 2g Added Sugars 4%
molybdenum, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc).
Protein 11g
The Nutrition Facts Label can also help you monitor nutrients
Vitamin D 2mcg 10%
you want to get less of and those you want to get more of.
Calcium 260mg 20%
Iron 6mg 35%
Potassium 240mg 6% Nutrients to get less of:
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in Saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.
a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories
a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Most Americans exceed the recommended limits for these
nutrients—and diets higher in these nutrients are associated
with an increased risk of developing some health conditions
INGREDIENTS: BULGUR WHEAT, (such as cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure).
SAUCE (WATER, HALF AND HALF
Compare and choose foods to get less than 100% DV of
[MILK, CREAM], PARMESAN CHEESE
these nutrients each day.
[PASTEURIZED SKIM MILK, CULTURES,
SALT, ENZYMES], CHEDDAR CHEESE
[PASTEURIZED MILK, CULTURES, SALT,
ENZYMES], OLIVE OIL, BUTTER, SUGAR, Nutrients to get more of:
XANTHAN GUM, SPICE), LENTILS, CORN, Dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium.
GREEN BEANS, RED BEANS, POTATOES. Many Americans do not get the recommended amount of
these nutrients—and diets higher in these nutrients can reduce
CONTAINS: WHEAT, MILK.
the risk of developing some health conditions (such
as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, anemia, and high
blood pressure).
Compare and choose foods to get 100% DV of these
nutrients on most days.

Ingredient List
In addition to the Nutrition Facts label, the ingredient list is also a
helpful tool. The ingredient list shows each ingredient in a food by
its common or usual name. Ingredients are listed in descending
order by weight, so the ingredient that weighs the most in the
product is listed first, and the ingredient that weighs the least is
listed last.

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