Weight Management Weight Loss How to Read Nutrition Labels By Malia Frey, M.A., ACE-CHC, CPT Malia Frey, M.A., ACE-CHC, CPT Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Malia Frey is a weight loss expert, certified health coach, weight management specialist, personal trainer, and fitness nutrition specialist. Learn about our editorial process Updated on April 24, 2020 Medically reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and nutrition and exercise healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Marisa Moore, RDN, MBA Medically reviewed by Marisa Moore, RDN, MBA Marisa Moore is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a BS in nutrition science and MBA in marketing. She is also the founder of Marisa Moore Nutrition. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print If you’re trying to eat healthfully, the nutrition label is a must-use tool for making better food choices. Once you learn to quickly scan the Nutrition Facts label for essential information, you’ll be able to shop faster, eat better, and, if it's your goal, to lose weight with greater ease. The Nutrition Facts panel, first introduced in 1993, changes from time to time. In 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated the food labeling guidelines, with changes set to take effect by January 1, 2020, for some larger food manufacturers and January 1, 2021, for smaller food manufacturers. The new design includes larger text for “Calories,” “Serving size,” and “Servings per container.” These changes will help you to find the most important information for weight loss and healthy eating. The images throughout this guide show an example of an older version of the Nutrition Facts label on the left and the newer version on the right, so no matter which version you find on a package you will know how to read it. Serving Size U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Portion control and calorie counting are essential for managing your weight. So it’s important to check the serving size on the nutrition label to help you to eat appropriate portions and accurately count the number of calories you eat each day. Manage Portions The serving size on the package is not necessarily the amount of food you should eat, but the amount of food a typical eater consumes during a single eating occasion. Instead of using this number to decide how much to eat. use it to determine how many calories are in a typical serving of that food. Use Portion Size As Part of Your Weight-Loss Plan Log Food Accurately If you use a calorie-tracking app, you'll enter foods and food amounts into your daily food journal to count calories and manage your diet. Most of these services use “serving size” as the default amount. Be sure to adjust the amount of your portion size if it is different than the serving size listed. Calories U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) No matter what kind of eating plan you follow, calories matter. Of course, eating quality calories (foods that are more nutritious) will make it easier to manage your weight. But it is also essential to eat the right number of calories each day. The calorie count on the nutrition facts panel shows how many calories are in a typical serving size. At the grocery store, it can be helpful to compare different brands and products to make the best choice for you. Fat and Cholesterol U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Eating healthy fat is good for your body and will help you to stay satisfied throughout the day. But fat is higher in calories than protein and carbohydrates, so it helps to be mindful of the amount you consume. When you read the nutrition label, first check the total number of fat grams (red arrows) in the food. Then check the numbers below (yellow arrows) for further information. Saturated fat: While saturated fat may not be as bad for our bodies as previously thought, most experts still recommend that you eat less saturated fat and more polyunsaturated fat or monounsaturated fat for good health. Trans fat: Experts agree that trans fats are not good for your body. Try to choose foods with as little trans fat as possible. Some dairy and bakery foods contain trans fat. Cholesterol: Your doctor may have told you to reduce your dietary cholesterol intake. If so, this number is important for you. And although it is OK to eat eggs and other sources of dietary cholesterol, most experts still agree that keeping an eye on your intake is important. Carbohydrates U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Whether or not you're counting carbs, choosing better sources of carbohydrates is important for good health. The “Carbohydrates” listing on the Nutrition Facts label provides some information you need to make healthier decisions. Dietary fiber: Fiber is your friend. You’ll feel full longer if you eat foods with more dietary fiber. Packaged foods that contain whole grains or vegetables are often good sources of dietary fiber. Some foods also provide added fiber. Total sugars: The newer Nutrition Facts panel makes it easier to understand your sugar intake by breaking out the amount of added sugar under the "Total Sugar" heading. Foods with more added sugars provide empty calories that increase your daily intake and provide very little nutrition. Protein U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Protein is an important macronutrient for maintaining muscle mass. When you select foods, read Nutrition Facts labels to choose foods that provide protein. Lean meat products and low-fat dairy products are good examples. But when you check the nutrition label for protein, scan the fat grams to make sure the number is not too high. Many protein-rich foods are also high in saturated fat, and some foods in the dairy aisle contain unhealthy trans fat. Vitamins and Minerals The Nutrition Facts panel also highlights various vitamins and minerals found in the product. Sodium, or table salt, is one nutrient that gets its own bolded line on the label, because too much can be harmful for your health. Most experts recommend that healthy adults limit their sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day. If you have a specific health condition, such as high blood pressure or kidney disease, consult your doctor or nutritionist to determine the right amount of sodium for you. Other micronutrients, like vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron, are listed below the thick black bar on the Nutrition Facts label. Choosing a variety of foods that provide vitamins and minerals will help you build a strong, fit, healthy body. Percent Daily Value U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) The column on the right side of the nutrition label has numbers displayed in percentages. The numbers listed under "% Daily Value" tell you how much a particular nutrient contributes to your total daily diet if you consume 2,000 calories per day. If you consume more or less than 2,000 calories per day, these figures will not be accurate for you. But they are still useful in making healthy food choices. Overall, the percent daily value can quickly help you gauge whether or not a food is high or low in a particular nutrient. Generally, a percent daily value of 5% or less means that the food is low in that nutrient and a value of 20% or more means that the food is high in the nutrient. 3 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Ni Mhurchu C, Eyles H, Jiang Y, Blakely T. Do nutrition labels influence healthier food choices? Analysis of label viewing behaviour and subsequent food purchases in a labelling intervention trial. Appetite. 2018;121:360-365. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2017.11.105 American Heart Association. Saturated fat. Malik VS, Willett WC, Hu FB. The revised Nutrition Facts Label: A step forward and more room for improvement. JAMA. 2016;316(6):583-4. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.8005 By Malia Frey, M.A., ACE-CHC, CPT Malia Frey is a weight loss expert, certified health coach, weight management specialist, personal trainer, and fitness nutrition specialist. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from companies that partner with and compensate Verywell Fit for displaying their offer. These partnerships do not impact our editorial choices or otherwise influence our editorial content.