Body · Eating well without extremes

Reading a nutrition label

Every number on the label is for one serving, so check servings per container first and multiply if you eat more. Then use % Daily Value: 5% or less is low, 20% or more is high. Aim for less than 100% a day of saturated fat (20 g), sodium (2,300 mg) and added sugars (50 g), and at least 28 g of fiber. Compare products only when serving sizes match, and remember "0 g" can mean up to half a gram per serving.

Easy10 min to read; 30 seconds per label after thatFreeChecked October 2, 2026

You'll need

Any packaged food

What to know

Start at the serving size. Everything else depends on it.

Start with servings per container and serving size. Every number on the label, including calories, is for one serving. Serving size reflects what people typically eat; it isn't a recommendation. Source: FDA¹
Multiply for what you'll actually eat. In the FDA's example, a frozen lasagna has 4 servings of 280 calories, so the whole package is 1,120 calories. Source: FDA¹ A cup of cooked spaghetti is one serving; two cups is two. Source: MedlinePlus²
Check calories against your needs. Labels use 2,000 calories a day as a general guide, but yours depend on your age, sex, height, weight and activity. Source: FDA¹
Use % Daily Value as a quick guide: 5% or less of a nutrient per serving is low, 20% or more is high. You don't need to do math; the label does it. Source: FDA¹
Get less of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars, which Americans generally eat too much of. Get more of fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium, which most don't get enough of. Source: FDA¹
Compare similar products side by side, making sure the serving sizes match. %DV also lets you compare "light," "low" and "reduced" claims without memorizing definitions. Source: FDA¹

Watch out "0 g" isn't always zero. A food with less than 0.5 grams of saturated fat per serving can say it has none, so it adds up if you eat several servings. Source: MedlinePlus² The same goes for trans fat. Source: Heart Association³

The daily targets behind %DV

Based on a 2,000-calorie diet. 100% DV equals the amount shown. Source: FDA¹

Nutrient	100% DV	Goal
Saturated fat	20 g	Less than
Sodium	2,300 mg (about 1 teaspoon of salt)	Less than
Added sugars	50 g	Less than
Dietary fiber	28 g	At least
Calcium	1,300 mg	At least
Iron	18 mg	At least
Potassium	4,700 mg	At least
Vitamin D	20 mcg	At least

30-second label check

Servings per container, and how many I'll really eat
Calories for that amount
Sodium %DV: 20% or more is high
Saturated fat and added sugars %DV
Fiber: at least 3 to 4 grams per serving is a good sign
Same serving size if comparing two products

See it done

Video by U.S. Food and Drug Administration Government

Food for Thought - How to Use the Nutrition Facts Label

Watch on YouTube: Food for Thought - How to Use the Nutrition Facts Label

2022 · Checked October 3, 2026

Video won't load at school or work? No problem. Everything you need is in the steps; the video's just a bonus. Watch it on YouTube later.

If it doesn't work

Sodium example: one serving of the FDA's sample lasagna has 37% DV for sodium. Eat two and you're at 74%, nearly three-quarters of a day's sodium in one meal. Source: FDA¹
Love a food that's high in saturated fat? You don't have to give it up. Balance it with lower-saturated-fat foods the rest of the day and stay under 100% DV in total. Source: FDA¹
Not sure how many calories you need? Get an estimate at MyPlate.gov. Source: FDA¹

Good to know

The details, if you want them. Tap a line to open it.

Total vs. added sugars

Total sugars include the natural sugar in fruit and milk. Added sugars are sugars, syrups and honey added during processing. Total sugars have no %DV. Source: FDA¹

Fiber

Choose foods with at least 3 to 4 grams of fiber per serving: whole-grain breads, fruits and vegetables, and beans. Source: MedlinePlus²

Sodium vs. salt

100 mg of sodium is about 250 mg of salt. 2,300 mg of sodium is about the amount in one teaspoon of table salt. Source: MedlinePlus²

Dual-column labels

Some packages you might eat in one sitting, like a bag of pretzels, show both per-serving and per-package numbers. Source: FDA¹

Take it with you

Printable card Download card (PDF)

Sources

U.S. Food and Drug Administration How to understand and use the Nutrition Facts label
MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine) How to read food labels
American Heart Association Understanding food nutrition labels

Lesson B2.2 · Last checked October 2, 2026 against the sources listed.

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