With so many choices at your fingertips as you make your way through the grocery store aisles, it can be hard to figure out what the best choices are for you and your family. You can flip to the nutrition label on the side of a box, but sometimes the tiny print and hard-to-decipher terms can be confusing. We spoke with two registered dietitians to break down how to read a nutrition label to make choices that support your well-being.
Nutrition labels decoded
Nutrition labels appear on packaged foods to provide information about nutritional content and ingredients. They’re regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and include details such as serving size, calories and nutrients like fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
“Using nutrition labels can facilitate making better choices and can help with comparing two products to determine which would be more beneficial given your health goals,” said Jacquelyn Davis, MS, RD, clinical nutrition manager at Bridgeport Hospital.
What to look for
Key areas on nutrition labels include serving size and servings per container.
In general, the calories per serving tell you how much energy you’re getting from one serving. Typically, 100 calories per serving is moderate while 400 calories per serving could be considered high.
“There are, of course, other key nutrition areas, but they would depend upon individual health conditions and nutritional goals,” said Davis.
For example, if a person has high blood pressure, it would be important to monitor daily sodium intake. The same would apply to someone with diabetes needing to monitor intake of carbohydrates.
Understanding the percent daily value (%DV) of nutrients is also important. Typically, the percentage is based on a daily diet of 2,000 calories per day. Daily values of five percent or less are considered low, while daily values of 20 percent or more are considered high.
Aim for higher percent daily values in nutrients like fiber and protein based on your specific health needs.
What to avoid
“As dietitians, we choose to promote an all-foods approach to eating,” said Vanessa Mazzella, MS, RD, outpatient dietitian at Bridgeport Hospital. “This means that no food or food groups are off limits. However, we are mindful that nutritional needs are met. Of course, foods high in sodium, trans fats and/or added sugars should be eaten sparingly.”
However, Davis and Mazzella caution people not to obsess over nutrition labels. They say nutrition labels are just one tool to help make the best decisions for your health goals and conditions.
“Even if something is high in carbs or sodium, it doesn’t mean we have to avoid it altogether,” said Mazzella. “It can still have a place in our diets in the correct portion and frequency.”
Quick tips for understanding nutrition labels
- Look at the serving size. Since this is what the nutrition label information is based upon, take note of split labels on packaged foods, which typically show information for a single serving versus the entire package.
- Focus on fat, sodium, protein, carbohydrates and added sugars. For those elements that you may desire more or less of, check the percent daily value (%DV). If you want to consume less of a nutrient, such as sodium or saturated fat, choose foods with a %DV of 5% or less; if you want to consume more of a nutrient such as fiber, look for foods with higher %DV, which is 20% or more.
- Check the ingredient list. At the bottom of the label is the ingredients list. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. Therefore, the first ingredient is predominant. For example, if sugar is listed high on the ingredient list, the product is likely a high sugar food.
