2.3 Reading Food Labels
Notes
The Nutrition Facts label helps you compare foods.
- Serving size is the amount all the numbers are based on. If you eat two servings, double the numbers.
- % Daily Value (%DV) shows how much a serving adds to a day's needs. 5% or less is low, and 20% or more is high.
- Look for more of: fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium.
- Look for less of: added sugars, sodium and saturated fat.
- The ingredient list is ordered by weight, from most to least.
- Example: A granola bar lists sugar first in the ingredients and 15% DV for added sugars. This tells you sugar is its largest ingredient and that it adds a moderate share of a day's added sugar limit.
Practice
What does the serving size on a label tell you?
All values on the label apply to the listed serving size.
A food has 22% DV for sodium per serving. How is this best described?
20% DV or more per serving is considered high.
A cereal's ingredient list begins with "sugar, corn flour, ..." What does this tell you?
Ingredients are listed from most to least by weight.
Ready for more? Take the Unit 2 test.