Navigating the Nutrition Label

This post was written by Jenna Guadagna, RD. Jenna is a registered dietitian located in Buffalo, New York, and is currently providing nutrition counseling through a local private practice. Her passions include public health and nutrition communications.

The nutrition label is a wonderful tool to help us decipher if a food is on track with our nutrition goals. We just have to figure out how to navigate the label in a way that makes sense to us, so we can benefit from the information it provides. 

Whether you’re the type of shopper who glances quickly at the label, only scans for one or two key nutrients, or ignores it altogether, we’re excited to share that this guide should help clarify all the confusion. With the information in this post, you’ll soon understand all aspects of the label, becoming a true nutrition-label aficionado! Ready? Let’s get started. 

The Basics 

In 2021, all nutrition labels changed over to the new label. The new label shows updated nutrition science plus it’s got some cosmetic differences that make the label easier to read.  

 

Step 1: What’s the Serving Size?

When you are looking at the nutrition label, first check out the serving size at the top of the label. This is the amount the average American typically eats. It’s shown in standardized measurements, making it easier to compare similar food items. Please note that a serving size is not a recommended amount for health or nutrition purposes.

Some food items have more than one serving size on the box. These are foods that people typically eat the whole box in one sitting, even if it’s not the recommended serving size. For example, frozen meals typically have nutrient measurements for one serving or the entire entree. 

Step 2: Look at the Calories 

The next part to look at is the total calories per serving. If you’re tracking calories, this section is very helpful to understand if the food you choose will fit within your daily budget. 

Here’s a helpful guide to help you understand the different calorie labels:

• A no-calorie food is 5 calories or less per serving. 
• A low-calorie food is 40 calories per serving or less. 
• A moderate-calorie food is around 100 calories per serving.
• A high-calorie food is 400 calories or more per serving.

Step 3: What is a Percent Daily Value?

I find the percent daily values to be the most helpful tool to use on the nutrition label. It helps make choosing foods simple and quick. The percent daily values can be used as a guide to help you decipher if a particular food has too much or not enough of a specific nutrient. This is super helpful when you’re planning your meals and snacks for the entire day!

These percentages are calculated based on the 2,000 calories the nutrition label is based on, which may or may not be your personal goal. Whether or not your calorie budget is 2,000, the percent daily values can be a great asset when navigating the nutrition label. 

When looking at the percent daily values, keep these things in mind:

• If a nutrient’s percentage is 5% or less, that is a low source of that specific nutrient. 
• If a nutrient’s percentage is 20% or more, that is a high source of that specific nutrient. 
• If a percentage is between 10% and 19%, that is considered a good or moderate source of that specific nutrient. 

Step 4: Take a Peek at the Nutrients

You may wonder what nutrients you should increase and which to limit.  

Here are the foods we recommend you limit: 

• Saturated fats
• Trans fats
• Cholesterol
• Sodium 

Here are nutrients you should try to get more of: 

• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Fiber 

Fats: The different types of fats you will see on the nutrition label are Total Fat, Unsaturated Fat, Saturated Fat, and Trans Fat. 

Here’s what you need to know about the different fat sources:

Total Fat

Total fat gives you the total amount of fats per serving. Sometimes you will see two sources of fat, like saturated and trans fat, but not unsaturated fat. If a source of fat is missing, you can do a simple math equation to determine that fat count. 

For example, if there are 0g of trans fat, 1g of saturated fat, and 8g of total fat, that means there is 7g of unsaturated fat. Subtract the number of fats shown from the total fat number to determine the amount of the missing fat value.  

(8g total fat – 1g saturated fat – 0 grams trans fats = 7g unsaturated fat)

Unsaturated Fat

Unsaturated Fat is the healthier fat option. More unsaturated fats in your diet, in place of saturated and trans fats, may help lower your heart disease risk. Unsaturated fats are largely found in plant foods such as nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, olive oils, and fish. 

Saturated Fat

While we need some saturated fat in our diet, we should be careful not to consume too much.  Too much saturated fat may raise high blood pressure and high LDL cholesterol risk. 

Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are found primarily in animal fats and tropical plants like coconut and palm oil.  

Trans Fat

Trans Fat is another one of the unhealthy fats. It’s naturally found in small amounts in whole milk, milk products, and some animal proteins. Trans Fats can also be made by hydrogenating vegetable oils. Hydrogenation is a process that takes a liquid unsaturated fat and turns it into a solid fat that acts like saturated fat. 

Always check the nutrition labels on baked goods like cakes, cookies, and even microwavable popcorn to see if there are any trans fats per serving. Trans Fats, like saturated fat, can raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol.  While there’s no set limit, the dietary guidelines recommend limiting trans fat in your diet as much as possible.

Cholesterol

Did you know that your body makes cholesterol in your liver? Dietary cholesterol makes up for the rest of the cholesterol we get when eating animal products. Foods high in saturated and trans fats are also high in dietary cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends limiting the number of saturated fats and dietary cholesterol you consume.

Sodium

Sodium is a mineral found in all salts like kosher salt, sea salt, table salt, etc. According to the American Heart Association, 9 out of 10 Americans consume too much sodium. In fact, the average American adult consumes around 3,400 mg of sodium per day. If you are generally a healthy person, the recommended sodium limit per day is 2,300 mg. If you have high blood pressure, the recommended daily amount is 1,500mg daily. Talk to your doctor to see how much daily sodium is right for you.

To figure out if the sodium count in a food is too high, look at the total mg of sodium or the percent daily value.  Calorie-counting apps like Lose It! allow you to track sodium automatically, making it easy to monitor your sodium intake.

A food low in sodium has 140 mg or less per serving. 

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates include sugars, starches, and fibers. Under the total carbohydrates section on the nutrition label, you’ll notice sugar, added sugars, and dietary fiber. 

Simple sugars are carbohydrates in their simplest form and are made up of one or two types of sugar molecules. 

Some simple sugars come from refined sources like sucrose (table sugar). Added sugars are sugars that are added to the product. For example, adding maple syrup to oatmeal would be an added sugar. The added sugars will have a percent daily value; regular sugars will not. 

Fiber

Fiber is a carbohydrate that we do not digest. Fiber helps keep us fuller for longer and keeps our digestive system regular. Fiber can also help lower LDL cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar.

Foods that have 3-4 grams or more are good sources of fiber. 

According to the American Heart Association, the recommended amount of fiber per day for women is 25g and 38 grams per day for men if you consume a 2,000-calorie diet. The average American consumes less dietary fiber than that per day. Ask your doctor or a registered dietitian if increasing your fiber intake is right for you.

Protein

Protein is found towards the bottom of the nutrition label,  before the vitamins and minerals section. You’ll notice that protein doesn’t typically have a percent daily value. This is because there is no generalized recommendation for protein. Instead, it varies from person to person. If there is a percent daily value, the food item was claimed to be a high protein choice.

It’s important to be mindful of choosing lean, low-fat proteins. A portion of protein is about 3 oz cooked, about the same size as the palm of your hand or a deck of cards. Check out this post, which outlines how much protein you need.

Step 5: Are We Getting Enough Vitamins and Minerals?

The average American does not normally consume the recommended amounts of calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and iron. That’s why these items are featured on the new nutrition label. Vitamin A and vitamin C are no longer required to be on the nutrition label because these vitamin deficiencies in the United States are rare. 

You’ll also see the micrograms added to the percent daily values on the vitamin and mineral section. Everyone’s needs for these nutrients are different.

Ask your doctor to see how much calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and iron you should get daily. 

Step 6: Read Through the Ingredient List

If a food item has more than one ingredient, all the ingredients must be included on the label. Ingredients are organized by how much of each ingredient is in the product. If water is the first ingredient, that means there is more water than any other ingredient. If water is the last ingredient, that means there is less water than any other ingredient.

The ingredient list will also have an allergen statement for the eight common allergens. If a food contains soy, shellfish, seafood, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, or dairy, those foods must be highlighted at the end of the ingredient list.

The Bottom Line

The next time you go to the grocery store, turn over the item and look at the nutrition label. Is the item a good source of fiber? Is it low in cholesterol? What is the serving size? Is the serving size more or less, than you normally portion for yourself?

Use the nutrition label as a helpful shopping tool to keep your nutrition goals on track! Don’t forget, if you’re a Lose It! user, you can use the app to scan barcodes which will show you all the nutritional facts for that food!.

For more information on the nutrition label, ask your registered dietitian or seek information from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), American Heart Association, or MyPlate.