When you are reading the nutrition facts on a food label, start at the top. The most important things are listed from top to bottom.
Serving size:
It is important to pay close attention to the serving size and to be aware of how many servings you are consuming. Sometimes the number of servings in the package is double or triple what is on the nutrition facts, therefore eating the whole package means you would have to double or increase the caloric intake. A “serving” of potato chips might only have 200 calories, but maybe the serving size is only 10 chips. Eating the whole bag could equal more than 1000 calories!
Percent Daily Value:
The percentages that you see on food labels are based on recommended daily allowances – meaning the amount of something a person should get each day to prevent nutrient deficiency diseases. For instance, there’s a recommended daily allowance for fat, so the food label might say that one serving of this food meets 10% of the daily value. Daily values are based on the needs of an adult, not a child. The needs of a child are often similar, but children may need more or less of certain nutrients, depending on their age and size. Some percent daily values are based on the amount of calories and energy a person needs. These include carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. Other percent daily values – like those for sodium, potassium, vitamins, and minerals – stay the same no matter how many calories a person eats.
A quick reference to % Daily Value (%DV) is to keep in mind that under 5% is low and over 20% is high. Nutrients List: Nutrients to Limit Calories and Calories from Fat: Calories tell us how much energy we are getting from a serving of this food. Many people eat more calories than they need without getting the recommended intakes for a number of important nutrients. This is where understanding the food label comes into play. Another important part of the label is the number of calories that come from fat. It is important to look at this because it’s good to limit fat intake. Calories in food can come from fat, protein, or carbohydrate.
Total Fat:
The total fat is the number of grams of fat contained in one serving of the food. Fat is an important nutrient for growth and development, but you don’t want to eat too much. The different
kinds of fat, such as saturated, unsaturated, and trans fat, may be listed separately on the label.
Cholesterol and Sodium:
These numbers tell you how much cholesterol and sodium (salt) are in a single serving of the food. They are included on the label because some people need to limit cholesterol or salt
in their diets perhaps because they have high blood pressure, etc.
Total Carbohydrate:
This number tells you how many carbohydrate grams are in one serving of food. This total is broken down into grams of sugar and grams of dietary fibre.
Protein:
This number tells you how much protein you get from a single serving of the food. Your body needs protein to build and repair essential parts of the body, such as muscles, blood, and organs.
Nutrients List:
Nutrients you want
Vitamins A and C:
These list the amounts of vitamin A and vitamin C, two especially important vitamins, in a serving of the food. Each amount is given as a percent daily value. If a food provides 20% of the
RDA for vitamin A, that one serving of food gives an adult one fifth of the vitamin A needed for the day.
Calcium and Iron:
These list the percentages of calcium and iron, two especially important minerals that are in a serving of the food. Again, each amount is given as a percent daily value. If a food has 4% of iron, you’re getting 4% of the iron you need for the whole day from that serving.