Decoding the Dietary Details: What Information is Included on a Food Label?

October 10, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the FDA, updated Nutrition Facts labels are designed to make it easier for consumers to make better-informed food choices. To maximize these benefits, it's essential to understand what information is included on a food label and how to interpret each section, from serving sizes to the ingredients list.

Quick Summary

Food labels provide crucial information including serving size, calorie count, and the Nutrition Facts panel detailing fat, sodium, and sugars. An ingredients list, ordered by weight, and allergen warnings are also mandatory. Details like manufacturer information and date markings are included for consumer awareness and safety.

Key Points

Serving Size is Key: The nutrition information is based on the serving size, so adjust accordingly if your portion is different.
Decode Daily Values: Use the %DV to assess nutrients; 5% or less is low, while 20% or more is high.
Read the Ingredients List: Ingredients are listed by weight in descending order, revealing the most abundant components.
Mind the Bad Stuff: Aim for lower %DVs for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars, as these can impact health.
Prioritize the Good Stuff: Choose foods with higher %DVs for fiber, vitamin D, calcium, and iron.
Check for Allergens: Look for bolded allergens within the ingredients list and separate "Contains" statements.
Know Your Dates: Understand that 'Use-By' is for safety, while 'Best-Before' is for quality.

The Nutritional Facts Panel

For most packaged foods, the Nutrition Facts panel is the central source of information for understanding the nutritional content. It provides a standardized look at a product's calories and key nutrients, helping consumers make comparisons and manage their dietary intake.

Serving Size and Calories

This is the starting point and arguably the most important part of the label to understand correctly. The serving size represents the amount of food that people typically eat at one time, and all the nutrition information that follows is based on this amount. It's crucial to compare this to your actual portion. For example, if you eat two cups of a food with a serving size of one cup, you must double all the listed calories and nutrient amounts. The total calorie count is prominently displayed to give you a measure of the energy contained in a single serving.

The Breakdown of Nutrients

Below the serving information, the label details the amounts of various nutrients. These are generally divided into two categories: those to limit and those to increase.

Nutrients to get less of: These include saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars, as high consumption is linked to health risks like cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. The label clearly lists Saturated Fat and Added Sugars. For Total Sugars, it's important to remember this includes both added and naturally occurring sugars.
Nutrients to get more of: These are beneficial nutrients that many Americans don't get enough of. These include dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium. Eating more of these can reduce the risk of certain health problems.

Understanding Percent Daily Value (%DV)

The Percent Daily Value (%DV) is a crucial tool for interpreting the nutrition panel. It shows how much a single serving contributes to your daily dietary goals based on a 2,000-calorie diet. It's a quick way to determine if a food is high or low in a particular nutrient, with a simple rule of thumb:

5% DV or less is considered low in that nutrient.
20% DV or more is considered high in that nutrient.

Use this to balance your intake. For example, choose foods with a low %DV for saturated fat and high %DV for dietary fiber.

The Ingredients List

All ingredients in a food product must be listed on the label in descending order by weight, meaning the ingredient used in the largest amount is listed first. This can be a very revealing section for consumers trying to manage their intake of specific ingredients. For example, if 'sugar' or 'corn syrup' is one of the first three ingredients, you know the product has a high sugar content. The ingredients list is also where food additives and allergens are declared. It is important to note that manufacturers sometimes use different names for the same ingredient, so it's wise to be familiar with the various terms for sugars and salts.

Important Alerts: Allergens and Date Markings

In addition to nutritional details, food labels contain critical information regarding safety and shelf life.

Allergen Information

Common allergens must be clearly declared within the ingredients list or with a separate "Contains" statement. Some labels may also include precautionary statements like "may contain" if there is a risk of cross-contamination.

Date Markings

Understanding the difference between date markings is key to both food safety and reducing food waste. A 'use-by' date indicates when food is safe to eat, while a 'best-before' date relates to quality, not safety.

Other Key Label Information

Food labels also include the net weight or volume of the product. Manufacturer information, including name and address, is provided for consumer contact. The country of origin may also be declared.

How to Use Food Labels to Compare Products

Comparing the per 100g column is recommended for comparing similar products due to variations in manufacturer serving sizes. This provides a consistent metric for evaluating nutrient density.


Feature	Cereal A (per 100g)	Cereal B (per 100g)
Energy	1500 kJ (358 kcal)	1300 kJ (310 kcal)
Sugars	25g	12g
Fat (Total)	5g	2g
Sodium	450 mg	120 mg
Fiber	8g	10g

Using 'per 100g' values offers a direct comparison of nutrient content.

Conclusion

Understanding what information is included on a food label is a valuable tool for making informed dietary choices, managing nutrition, and addressing dietary needs like allergies. Reading labels helps consumers make decisions beyond marketing claims.

For comprehensive guidance on understanding food labels, consult the official {Link: FDA website https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label}.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Nutrition Facts label now specifically lists 'Added Sugars' below 'Total Sugars'. The total includes both sugars naturally present in the food (like in milk and fruit) and those added during processing.

The % Daily Value (%DV) shows how much a serving of food contributes to your overall daily diet, based on a 2,000-calorie reference intake. A quick rule is that 5% DV or less is low, and 20% DV or more is high.

A 'use-by' date indicates when a perishable food must be consumed by for safety reasons. A 'best-before' date, on the other hand, is about quality; the food is likely safe to eat after this date but may have lost some flavor or freshness.

For hidden salt, look for ingredients like sodium, MSG, or other sodium compounds listed higher up in the ingredients list. For hidden sugar, look for words ending in '-ose' (like dextrose or sucrose) or names like corn syrup, molasses, and honey, especially if they are near the top of the list.

Not necessarily. It's important to check the full Nutrition Facts panel. Sometimes, when fat is removed, manufacturers add extra sugar or sodium to improve the flavor, which can increase the overall calorie count or negate other health benefits.

The best way to compare similar products is to use the 'per 100g' or 'per 100ml' column on the Nutrition Facts panel, as this provides a standardized metric. Serving sizes can vary between brands and are not reliable for direct comparison.

This is a precautionary allergen label (PAL) used by manufacturers when there is a possibility of cross-contamination with an allergen, even if it is not an intentional ingredient. For highly allergic individuals, this warning should be taken seriously.