Reading Food Labels

Food labels provide nutrition information so you can make smart choices about the food you buy and serve your family.

What's on Food Labels?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) require labels on almost all packaged foods. The information usually is on the back or side of packaging under the title "Nutrition Facts."

The Nutrition Facts label includes:

• serving size
• calories
• % daily values
• information about fat, cholesterol, fiber, added sugars, protein, and other nutrients

Here’s some other information on the food label:

• content claims, like "light" or "low-fat," which must meet strict government definitions so that they’re accurate and consistent from one food to another
• health claims, like, "While many factors affect heart disease, diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of this disease," which must meet government requirements for approval
• ingredients list, which also shows any additives, like colorings and preservatives (things that keep food fresh)

To make healthy, informed food choices, learn how to read the Nutrition Facts label and understand food label claims.

Food Label Claims

Manufacturers often make claims about the healthfulness of a food on the front of a package. These claims must meet FDA standards. Some common food claims are:

• “Reduced fat” or “reduced sugar” means that a product has 25% less fat or sugar than the same regular brand.
• “Light” means that the product has 50% less fat or 1/3 less calories than the same regular product.
• “Free” means as little as possible of a nutrient, like sugar, fat, or gluten.
• “Healthy” means the food is low in saturated fat, added sugar, and sodium — and includes certain amounts of fruits, vegetables, protein, grains, or dairy.
• “USDA organic” means the food has at least 95% organic ingredients with no synthetic growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, biotechnology, synthetic ingredients, or irradiation.

Keep in mind that some claims (like “natural,” “low in fat,” or “organic”) don’t necessarily mean the product is healthy or low in calories.

Nutrition Facts Label

Look at the entire Nutrition Facts label. If you focus on only one part — like calories or vitamins — you may not be getting the full story, like how much added sugar or fat is in the product.

Serving Size & Servings Per Container

Serving size is based on the amount that people typically eat. All nutritional information on the label is based on the serving size. For example, if the serving size is two cookies and you eat four cookies, that’s two servings. So you need to double all the nutritional information.

The number of servings per container tells you how many serving sizes are in the whole package.

Calories

A calorie is a unit of energy that measures how much energy a food provides to the body. The number of calories that's listed on the label indicates how many calories are in one serving.

Percent Daily Values

Percent daily value is most useful for seeing whether a food is high or low in nutrients:

• Food with 5% or less of a nutrient is low in that nutrient.

• Food with 10%–19% of a nutrient is a good source of that nutrient.

• Food with 20% or more of a nutrient is high in that nutrient.

The information on food labels is based on an average diet of 2,000 calories per day. But the actual number of calories and nutrients that kids need varies according to their age, weight, gender, and level of physical activity. (For more guidance, talk to your child’s doctor.)

Total Fat

This number shows how much fat is in a single serving of food. Although too much fat can lead to health problems, our bodies do need some fat every day.

Fats are an important source of energy — they contain more than twice as much energy per gram as carbohydrates or protein. Fats provide insulation and cushioning for the skin, bones, and internal organs. Fat also carries and helps store certain vitamins (A, D, E, and K).

Saturated Fat & Trans Fat

Saturated fats and trans fat are often called "bad fats" because they raise cholesterol and increase a person's risk for developing heart disease.

Saturated fats should be less than 10% of the calories that kids eat each day. Keep trans fat as low as possible (less than 1% of total calories).

Unsaturated Fat

Unsaturated fats may also be listed under total fat. Unsaturated fats are often called "good fats" because they don't raise cholesterol levels as saturated fats do. Most fats should come from sources of unsaturated fats, like salmon, avocados, peanut butter, and walnuts.

Cholesterol

Some cholesterol is important in building healthy cells, and making vitamin D and some hormones. If the amount of cholesterol in the blood is too high, it can increase a person's chances of having a heart attack or stroke later in life.

Sodium

Sodium is part of salt. Sodium is needed for fluid balance in the body, but too much can lead to high blood pressure. Almost all foods have small amounts of sodium, but many processed foods (foods made from ingredients that have been changed from how they are naturally, like hot dogs or potato chips) are high in sodium.

Total Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a source of energy. The Nutrition Facts label gives the amount of total carbohydrates along with fiber, total sugars, and added sugars.

Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber itself has no calories and is a necessary part of a healthy diet. Fiber can help you feel full and helps you poop regularly. High-fiber diets can help lower cholesterol levels and may help reduce the risk of colon cancer.

Sugars

Some foods naturally contain sugar, like fruit and milk. Snack foods like candy and soda often have added sugars. Added sugars add calories without important nutrients. Often there's more added sugar than you'd expect, even in healthy foods, like yogurt, granola bars, and pasta sauces.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting added sugars to less than 10 grams per meal.

Protein

Protein makes up most of the body — including muscles, skin, organs and tissues, and the immune system.  Growing kids and teens, especially athletes, need to make sure to get enough protein each day.

Vitamins and Minerals

The FDA requires listing some important vitamins and minerals on the Nutrition Facts label. These include:

• Vitamin D: This helps the body absorb calcium so it can help build bones and keep them strong. Vitamin D also plays a part in heart health and fighting infection.
• Calcium: This is needed for strong bones. It also keeps nerves and muscles working and the heart healthy.
• Iron: It helps the body make new, healthy red blood cells. Not enough iron leads to anemia.
• Potassium: It's important for fluid balance in the body and helps control blood pressure.

Label Listings for Food Allergies

Reading the ingredient list is especially important if someone in your family has a food allergy. Food labels must clearly state if the food has common allergens like milk, eggs, peanuts, and wheat, but some may be listed under unfamiliar names. Also, food companies don’t have to include warnings about cross contamination on the label, so contact the company to see if the product could contain ingredients your child is allergic to.

What Else Should I Know?

Now that you know how to read nutrition labels, use your food labeling smarts to make good choices when shopping for your family. If you have any questions, ask your doctor.