Tips for Reading
Food Labels
1
Take note of the serving size and servings per container. Serving sizes can often be deceivingly small, which means we end up consuming more calories and other nutrients than what we read on the label. Know how much you are eating.
2
Look at the Percent Daily Values for nutrients. You can use these percentages to compare the amount of macro- and micronutrients in foods. As a general rule, 5% or less per serving is considered low and 20% or more is considered high. For the macronutrients, use the percentages to see where the calories are coming from.
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3
Limit certain nutrients. Look for foods that are low in sodium, cholesterol, saturated fats, and trans fats.
4
Choose foods that are high in potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamins and minerals (and often protein). Vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron are listed on all food labels.
5
Read the ingredients. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, meaning the first ingredient listed is present in the highest quantity (by weight) in the food. As a general rule, short ingredients list with items you recognize are what you should look for.
6
Pay attention to sugar. Many foods contain added sugars, so it is important to look at the amount of sugar in the food as well as the ingredients list to find out where the sugar is coming from. Ingredients such as sucrose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and fructose indicate added sugars.
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Take note of the footnotes. It will indicate that the percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet and also give Daily Value Recommendations for a 2,000 and 2,500 calorie diet. Know that some of these values may change based on your individual calorie needs.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2013). Use the nutrition facts label. Retrieved from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/eat-right/nutrition-
facts.htm
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Learn about the nutrition facts label. Retrieved from
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/InteractiveNutritionFactsLabel/#whats-on-the-label