The Nutrition Facts label on packaged food can look like a lot of numbers at once. Knowing which parts matter most makes it much faster to use.
Start with the serving size
Every number on the label is based on the stated serving size — not necessarily the whole package. If a package contains 2.5 servings and you eat the whole thing, you’re getting 2.5 times every number listed.
The %DV column
The % Daily Value column shows how much a nutrient in one serving contributes to a general 2,000-calorie daily diet. As a rough guide, 5% DV or less is considered low, and 20% DV or more is considered high — useful for quickly comparing similar products.
What to look at
- Added sugars — listed separately from total sugars, this reflects sugar added during processing rather than naturally occurring sugar (like in fruit or milk).
- Fiber — most people benefit from getting more of this; higher numbers are generally better.
- Sodium — relevant if you’re watching salt intake; compare %DV across similar products.
- Protein — useful to check on foods you’re relying on as a protein source.
The ingredients list
Ingredients are listed by weight, from most to least. A quick scan of the first few ingredients tells you what the product is mostly made of, which can be a faster gut-check than working through every number on the label.
