Short answer: To read a Nutrition Facts label, start with the serving size and servings per container, then check calories. Use the % Daily Value with the 5/20 rule: 5% DV or less is low and 20% DV or more is high. Aim low for saturated fat, sodium and added sugars, and high for fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium. Then read the ingredient list, which is ordered by weight. Compare products using the same serving size.
Reading a nutrition label takes less than a minute once you know where to look. This guide walks through a sample label line by line, explains the 5/20 rule, shows how to read the ingredient list, and gives a checklist you can use in the store. To see whether labels actually change what people eat, read why food labels are important.
A Nutrition Facts Label, Line by Line
Here is a sample label for a breakfast cereal, with what each line tells you. All numbers are per serving unless the label has a second “per container” column.
| Label line | Example | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Servings per container | About 8 servings | How many servings are in the whole package |
| Serving size | 1 cup (40 g) | The amount all the numbers below refer to. Compare it with what you actually eat. |
| Calories | 160 | Energy per serving, in large bold type |
| Total fat | 2 g (3% DV) | Overall fat; check the types below it |
| Saturated fat | 0 g (0% DV) | Aim for low (5% DV or less) |
| Trans fat | 0 g | No % DV; aim for 0, and check the ingredient list for “partially hydrogenated” oils |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg (0% DV) | Only found in animal foods |
| Sodium | 210 mg (9% DV) | Aim for lower; 20% DV or more is high |
| Total carbohydrate | 34 g (12% DV) | Includes fiber and sugars |
| Dietary fiber | 5 g (18% DV) | Aim for higher |
| Total sugars | 9 g | All sugars, natural and added. No % DV. |
| Includes added sugars | 8 g (16% DV) | Sugars added during processing; aim for low |
| Protein | 5 g | % DV usually not required |
| Vitamin D, calcium, iron, potassium | e.g. Iron 8 mg (45% DV) | Nutrients many people lack; aim for higher |
| Footnote | “2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.” | % DV is based on a 2,000-calorie diet |
How to Read Nutrition Facts Labels in 7 Steps
Step 1: Check the serving size and servings per container
Serving sizes are based on how much people typically eat, not how much they should eat. If you eat two servings, double every number on the label. Packages usually finished in one sitting, like a 20-ounce soda, must be labeled as one serving, and some larger packages show a second “per package” column.
Step 2: Look at calories
Calories are in large, bold type. Compare them with how much of the food you actually eat, not just the listed serving.
Step 3: Use % Daily Value and the 5/20 rule
The % Daily Value (% DV) shows how much one serving contributes to a 2,000-calorie day. The FDA’s quick guide is the 5/20 rule:
- 5% DV or less of a nutrient per serving is low.
- 20% DV or more is high.
To see how a %DV is worked out for any amount, try our free percent daily value calculator, or build a complete sample label with the Nutrition Facts label generator.
You do not need to add up percentages over the day. Use % DV to tell at a glance whether a food is high or low in something, and to compare products.
Step 4: Limit saturated fat, sodium and added sugars
These are the nutrients most Americans eat too much of, so look for lower % DV. Sodium is the one people most underestimate, because packaged and restaurant foods supply over 70% of the sodium Americans eat. A food labeled “low sodium” has 140 mg or less per serving, a useful benchmark for comparing others.
Step 5: Get more fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium
Many people fall short on these nutrients. Look for a higher % DV. A product labeled “high fiber” must provide at least 20% DV per serving, and “good source of fiber” means 10% to 19%.
Step 6: Read the ingredient list
The Nutrition Facts panel tells you how much; the ingredient list tells you what. See the next section.
Step 7: Compare similar products
Put two labels side by side and compare the same serving size. Small differences in sodium, added sugars or fiber add up over time.
How to Read the Ingredient List
- Ingredients are listed by weight, from most to least. The first two or three make up most of the product. If sugar or refined flour comes first, the food is mostly that.
- Sugar has many names. Look for words ending in “-ose” (dextrose, fructose, maltose), syrups (corn, rice, agave), honey, molasses and fruit juice concentrate. Several different sugars can each rank lower on the list than one sugar would.
- Allergens must be declared. US labels must declare the nine major allergens: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts (including pine nuts), peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame, either in a “Contains” statement or within the list.
- “Partially hydrogenated oil” is a source of trans fat, even when the panel says 0 g.
- A long list of additives, flavors, colors and emulsifiers usually points to an ultra-processed food. See whole foods vs processed foods.
Total Sugars vs Added Sugars
Total sugars include every sugar in the food, including those naturally in fruit (fructose) and milk (lactose). Added sugars are sugars added during processing, plus sugars from syrups, honey and concentrated fruit juice. For example, plain yogurt might have 12 g of total sugars and 0 g added, while a strawberry yogurt might have 20 g total sugars including 10 g added.
The Daily Value for added sugars is 50 g. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 go further: they recommend no added sugars as part of a healthy diet and no more than 10 g in a single meal. That makes the “Includes Added Sugars” line one of the most useful on the label. See the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines.
Example: Comparing Two Breakfast Cereals
| Per 1-cup serving | Cereal A | Cereal B |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 200 | 190 |
| Added sugars | 12 g (24% DV) | 5 g (10% DV) |
| Dietary fiber | 2 g (7% DV) | 6 g (21% DV) |
| First ingredient | Sugar | Whole grain oats |
The calories are almost identical, so the fronts of the boxes might suggest the cereals are equal. The label shows otherwise: Cereal B has less than half the added sugars and three times the fiber. Now check the serving size. If you usually pour 2 cups of Cereal A, your bowl has 400 calories and 24 g of added sugars, nearly half the Daily Value.
Common Mistakes When Reading Nutrition Labels
- Ignoring servings per container on snack bags and drinks that look like one serving.
- Assuming “0 g” means none. Amounts under 0.5 g can be rounded down to zero.
- Trusting the front of the package. Claims like “natural,” “made with whole grains” or “lightly sweetened” follow looser rules than the Nutrition Facts panel. See how labels can mislead.
- Confusing total sugars with added sugars.
- Treating the numbers as exact. FDA rules allow some variation. See how accurate nutrition labels are.
Special Label Formats
- Dual-column labels: packages that could be eaten in one or several sittings, like a pint of ice cream, show nutrition per serving and for the whole package.
- Supplement Facts panels: vitamins, protein powders and other supplements use a Supplement Facts panel, which can list ingredients without a Daily Value. See food vs supplements.
- Small-package labels: very small packages may use a simplified format or list a phone number or address for nutrition information.
Reading Labels for Your Own Goals
- Cutting back on salt: go straight to sodium and compare % DV between similar products.
- Cutting back on sugar: read “Includes Added Sugars,” not Total Sugars.
- Eating more fiber: look for 10% DV or more, and a whole grain as the first ingredient.
- Managing a food allergy: check the “Contains” statement and ingredient list every time you buy, because recipes and suppliers change.
- Managing a health condition: a registered dietitian can help you decide which numbers matter most for you.
Quick Checklist for the Store
- Does the serving size match what I eat?
- Is added sugar 5% DV or less for everyday foods?
- Is sodium under 20% DV per serving?
- Is there fiber and protein?
- Is the first ingredient a whole food?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most important part of the Nutrition Facts label?
Start with the serving size, because every other number depends on it. After that, % Daily Value is the fastest way to judge whether a food is high or low in a nutrient.
What is the 5/20 rule?
An FDA guideline for using % Daily Value: 5% DV or less of a nutrient per serving is low, and 20% DV or more is high.
What is a serving size?
The amount of food that all the numbers on the label refer to. It is based on how much people typically eat at one time, set by FDA reference amounts, and is not a recommendation of how much you should eat.
What is the difference between total sugars and added sugars?
Total sugars include sugars naturally in foods like fruit and milk. Added sugars are sugars added during processing, such as table sugar, syrups and honey. Only added sugars have a % Daily Value.
Is % Daily Value the same for everyone?
No. Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet for adults and children 4 and older. Your needs may be higher or lower depending on age, size, sex and activity. Treat % DV as a comparison tool, not a personal target.
Do all foods need a Nutrition Facts label?
Most packaged foods do. Exemptions include raw fruits and vegetables, fresh fish, some foods from very small businesses, and foods with no significant nutrients, such as plain coffee and most spices. See what has to be on a food label.
Who regulates nutrition labels in the US?
The FDA regulates labels on most packaged foods. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service covers most meat, poultry and processed egg products.
Sources and Further Reading
- The Nutrition Facts Label. US Food and Drug Administration.
- Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label. US Food and Drug Administration.
- Sodium in Your Diet. US Food and Drug Administration.
- Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling. US Food and Drug Administration.
