How to Read a Nutrition Facts Label (Without Getting Overwhelmed)

Almost every packaged food in the United States carries a Nutrition Facts label. It's one of the most useful tools you have for making healthier choices at the grocery store — if you know how to read it. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated the label in recent years to make key information easier to spot, including larger calorie counts and a separate line for added sugars.

This guide walks through the label from top to bottom.

Step 1: Check the serving size

Serving size is at the top of the label for a reason: all the numbers below it refer to one serving. Serving sizes reflect the amount people typically eat, not a recommendation of how much you should eat.

Next, check servings per container. A bag of chips or a bottle of juice may contain two or more servings. If you eat the whole package, multiply the numbers by the number of servings.

Some packages that could reasonably be eaten in one sitting show a "dual-column" label with numbers for one serving and for the entire package.

Step 2: Look at calories

Calories tell you how much energy you get from one serving. Your calorie needs depend on your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level. The label uses 2,000 calories a day as a general reference for %DV, but your own needs may be higher or lower.

Calories aren't the only thing that matters — a handful of nuts and a handful of candy might have similar calories but very different nutrition — but they're useful when comparing similar products.

Step 3: Understand % Daily Value

The % Daily Value (%DV) shows how much a nutrient in one serving contributes to a total day's diet. The FDA offers a simple rule of thumb:

• 5% DV or less of a nutrient per serving is considered low.
• 20% DV or more is considered high.

Use %DV to compare products quickly. For example, if one soup has 35% DV for sodium and another has 15%, the second is the lower-sodium choice.

Step 4: Nutrients to get less of

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting:

• Sodium. Most Americans get more than the recommended limit of less than 2,300 milligrams a day. Packaged and restaurant foods are major sources. Our guide on cutting back on sodium offers practical swaps.
• Added sugars. This line shows sugars added during processing — such as table sugar, syrups, and honey — separately from sugars naturally present in fruit or milk. The Dietary Guidelines advise keeping added sugars to less than 10% of daily calories.
• Saturated fat. The guidelines recommend keeping saturated fat below 10% of daily calories.

Trans fat should be as low as possible. Look for 0 g, and check the ingredient list for "partially hydrogenated oils."

Step 5: Nutrients to get more of

Many Americans don't get enough of these nutrients, so look for foods with a higher %DV:

• Dietary fiber — supports digestion and helps you feel full. Learn more in our guide to fiber.
• Vitamin D
• Calcium
• Iron
• Potassium

Step 6: Read the ingredient list

The ingredient list sits below or beside the label. Ingredients are listed in order by weight, from most to least. A few quick tips:

• If you're buying bread or cereal, look for a whole grain listed first.
• Sugar has many names: cane sugar, corn syrup, dextrose, honey, maltose, and more.
• The list also helps people with food allergies. Major allergens must be clearly identified.

Putting it into practice: comparing two products

Imagine you're choosing between two breakfast cereals:

Cereal B is the stronger choice: more fiber, much less added sugar, and slightly less sodium. You can make this comparison in seconds once you know what to look for. (These values are illustrative examples, not specific brands.)

Common label traps

• Front-of-package claims. Words like "natural" or "made with real fruit" don't tell you much. The Nutrition Facts label gives a fuller picture.
• "Low-fat" doesn't mean low-sugar. Some reduced-fat products add sugar for flavor.
• Tiny serving sizes. A label might look reasonable until you realize you usually eat three servings.

The bottom line

You don't have to analyze every number. Start with the serving size, glance at calories, then use the 5–20 rule for %DV: aim for less sodium, added sugars, and saturated fat, and more fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium. With a little practice, reading labels takes only a few seconds.

Pair this skill with our guide to building a balanced plate and our tips for healthy grocery shopping on a budget.