understanding a nutrition facts label. us food and drug admin
TRANSCRIPT
Understanding a Nutrition Facts Label
US Food and Drug Admin
Sections of a Food Label 1. Serving Size – at the top
Green color 2. Calories- below serving size
White color at the top 3. and 4. Nutrients
Yellow and Blue color 5. Footnote
White color at the bottom 6. % Daily Value
On the far right Purple color
US Food and Drug Admin
Serving SizeHow much is the serving size?
StandardCompare similar foodsFamiliar units
Cups, pieces, tablespoonsHow much actually consumed
Servings per containerMultiply if consuming more than one servingTotal amount of calories and nutrients
US Food and Drug Admin
CaloriesCalories per Serving
Amount of energy in each servingMust multiply calories per serving by number of
servings consumed
Calories from FatCompare calories from fat to number of calories in
each serving Calculate %
Generally40 is low100 is moderate400 is high
US Food and Drug Admin
Nutrients
Limit TheseBe Sure to Get Enough of These
Total FatSaturatedTrans
CholesterolSodium
Adequate or too much
Can increase risk of chronic diseases
Dietary FiberVitamin AVitamin CCalciumIron
Usually don’t get enough
Can reduce risk of some diseases or conditions
US Food and Drug Admin
FootnoteThe “*” symbol after the heading “%Daily
Value” refers to the footnote“%DVs are based on a 2,000 calorie diet”
Must appear on all food labelsFootnotes are the same on all products
US Food and Drug Admin
Percent Daily Value%DV
On right hand side of every food labelBased on 2,000 calorie diet
Great way to compare food products to each other5% or less is low20% or more is high
US Food and Drug Admin
Summary6 sections to a food label
Serving size, calories, nutrients to limit,nutrients to get enough of,footnote and %DV
Start at the top and work down
Use %DV to quickly compare one food product to another