How to Read a Nutrition Label: Tips from a Clinical Dietitian

Learn how the information on food labels can help you manage your health and wellness goals.

Odds are you’ve scanned food labels while shopping for groceries — but do you know how they can help you make healthier choices at mealtime?

“The nutrition facts label is a valuable tool that offers details about the nutrients in each food item such as calories, protein, added sugar and vitamins,” says Alexis Lopez, MS, RD, a clinical nutrition specialist at Keck Medicine of USC. “This information can help you choose healthier food options.”

To help you navigate nutrition labels like a pro, Lopez shares 5 tips on how to read food labels and how to apply it to your daily life.

Tip 1: Pay attention to the serving size.

“The serving size is displayed at the top of the label in bold text,” Lopez says. “This serving size now reflects the typical amount people consume of the product. It is important to know that this is not a portion size recommendation.”

If you consume an entire container of a food or drink item that lists 5 servings per container, you will need to multiply the values in each category on the food label by 5 to determine the total calories and nutrients you consumed, she adds.

Tip 2: You need to do some math to get the true number of calories.

“Eating more calories than your body needs may result in weight gain, as individual calorie needs vary from person to person,” Lopez says. If you want further guidance on your specific needs, she recommends consulting a dietitian.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity affects 41.9% of U.S. adults and 19.7% of children and teenagers. And obesity-related conditions, such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, are on the rise.

“The calories listed per serving on the food label apply only to that specific serving size, which is placed above the calories,” Lopez explains. “If you consume more than the stated serving size, you will need to multiply the calorie amount to reflect the amount you ate.”

For example, if your food has 20 calories per serving and you eat 5 servings, you have to multiply 20 by 5 for a total of 100 calories. Currently, the nutrition facts label is based on an average diet of 2,000 calories per day.

“The daily calorie needs for an individual depend on their energy needs and activity level, which may be higher or lower than the 2,000 calories that is referenced on the food label,” Lopez says. Your primary care provider or a registered dietitian can help you determine the number of daily calories that are best for you.

Tip 3: A higher percent of daily value is not always better.

“The percent of daily value (%DV) provides the nutrient content of the product, helping you assess your daily intake and determine if you meet your individual needs,” Lopez says.

The percent of daily value (%DV) showcases three important facts about your food:

• How much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet
• The amount of each nutrient per serving
• Whether a food contains too much or too little of a nutrient

“If you are managing diabetes, you might focus on the total carbohydrate section and look for products with a low percentage of added sugar and a higher percentage of dietary fiber,” Lopez says.

Another helpful tip to keep in mind about the percent of daily value:

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

“These percentages represent the most recent scientific research on the daily nutrient intake we should incorporate into our diets,” Lopez says. “It is important to choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat and added sugar while focusing on those that are rich in vitamin D, calcium, iron, potassium and dietary fiber.”

Tip 4: Review the amount of added sugars.

There are two types of sugars in the food you eat. The first occur naturally and are found in foods such as fruits and milk. The second, known as added sugars, do not occur naturally and are added to a product during processing.

Added sugars do not provide nutritional benefit. They are listed on the nutrition label as a percent daily value (%DV) because you should limit your intake of added sugars to less than 10% of your total calorie daily, Lopez explains.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than 25 grams, or 6 teaspoons, of added sugars per day for women, and no more than 36 grams, or 9 teaspoons per day, for men.

If you wish to learn more about nutrition or eating habits, speaking with a registered dietitian can provide you with guidance.

Alexis Lopez, MS, RD, a clinical dietitian at Keck Medicine of USC

Tip 5: Look at the vitamin D and potassium numbers.

Vitamin D and potassium were added to nutrition labels in 2016. These new additions are nutrients that Americans don’t get enough of, according to the FDA.

“Vitamin D and calcium are needed to support bone health, and consuming adequate amounts can reduce the risk of osteoporosis,” Lopez says. “Iron is necessary for blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. Additionally, potassium helps regulate the heartbeat, nerve and muscle function and reduce risk of a stroke.”

The National Institutes of Health recommend 15 micrograms, or 600 international units (IU), of vitamin D a day for adults, and 3,400 milligrams of potassium a day for men and 2,600 milligrams for women.

Nutritional needs are not one-size-fits-all.

Learning how to read nutrition labels can be a useful tool in maintaining and improving your overall well-being. But Lopez also highlights the importance of understanding your own unique health needs.

“Every individual person has unique nutritional needs that can be influenced by several factors such as activity level, genetics, age and food intake,” she says. “If you wish to learn more about nutrition or eating habits, speaking with a registered dietitian can provide you with guidance.”

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