How to read a nutrition label like a dietitian

Are you concerned about what’s in your food?

The nutrition facts food label is the key to figuring it out, but only if you understand what it says.

There’s a lot of information on the label: calories, grams, percentages, servings. Knowing what to focus on and what the terms mean are important to choose healthy options without getting too overwhelmed.

Serving size

Starting at the top of the label is key to knowing just how much food you’re getting for the grams and percentages listed. The serving size is displayed in bold at the top of the label to catch your attention. Serving sizes can vary greatly depending on the product. It’s usually in ounces, cups or grams.

The serving size on the label may not line up with what you would normally eat. It’s often a lot less than you’d eat. This is important to know as you may be eating or drinking more than you realize, leading to excess calories and undesired weight gain.

Taking time to practice measuring servings at home can help you learn if the serving sizes you see on labels are the amount you typically eat. You may find you’re getting two to three servings at a meal compared to the one you thought you were eating.

Percent Daily Value

The Percent Daily Value (%DV) on a food label indicates how nutrients contained in the food compare to the recommended amounts of those nutrients in a 2,000-calorie a day diet. If your calorie needs are different, these percentages may not be accurate numbers for you, but they can still help you learn if a food is high or low in a nutrient.

If the percentage of the nutrient is less than 5%, it’s considered a low amount. Greater than 20% is considered a high amount. The goal is to choose foods higher in %DV for dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium, and lower in %DV for saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.

Total fat

The total fat contained in a food includes both saturated fat and trans fat:

• Saturated fat is in foods such as butter, cheese and red meat. Too much saturated fat can raise the level of LDL (bad) cholesterol in your blood. It’s recommended to limit saturated fat to no more 10 to 13 grams per day.
• Trans fat also raises your LDL cholesterol and should be reduced as much as possible or completely avoided. Typically, trans fats are found in highly processed foods such as donuts or other snack foods. Aim for “0” grams on the nutrition facts label and no partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredient list.

Unsaturated fats

Unsaturated fats aren’t listed on the nutrition label. They’re considered heart-healthy fats. They come from plant-based foods such as avocadoes, nuts and fatty fish. These fats make up the rest of what’s left under “total fat” after you subtract any saturated or trans fats.

Cholesterol

Limit cholesterol to 300 mg a day if you have high cholesterol or a cardiac condition.

Sodium

Although sodium is an essential nutrient, our food supply provides much more than we need in a day. Sodium is added to many processed foods as it helps preserve and season food.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Dietary Guidelines recommend 2,300mg of sodium or less per day. To meet these guidelines, look for food with 300mg or less for single servings or 600mg or less for a meal.

Total carbohydrates

Total carbohydrates include all forms of carbohydrates in the food. Under total carbohydrates, you’ll find three categories:

• Dietary fiber is important for a healthy gut. The recommended daily amount is 25 to 35 grams. Look for items with three or more grams per serving as good sources.
• Total Sugars includes all forms of sugars in the food — those found naturally in foods such as milk, fruits and vegetables — plus any added sugars listed in the following row.
• Added sugars are added during the processing of the food — extra empty calories you don’t need that don’t provide nutrients. Keep added sugars to 25 grams or fewer a day.

Protein

Protein helps you build bone and muscle, and it helps you stay full between meals. Strive to include high-protein foods such as lentils, eggs, lean meats and fish throughout your day.

If it feels like too much work to consider all the nutrients we need and all the things we should steer clear of, consider a simpler way to think about it. Focus on balancing your plate: Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables daily? Aim for filling half of your plate with vegetables and fruits low in carbohydrates such as asparagus, broccoli, berries and grapes. Are you choosing lean meats or plant-based sources for protein? Are you including fiber-rich grain sources?

With a diet that focuses on whole or minimally processed foods prepared mostly at home, there will still be room for a little bit of “fun food” on occasion. These are foods you eat without reading the label to nourish your soul rather than your body.