How Food Labels Can Help You Make Good Food Choices

October 31, 2025 •

2 min read

According to a survey by the National Institutes of Health, consumers who use food labels more frequently and accurately are more likely to choose healthier products. Learning how food labels can help you make good food choices is a powerful skill for improving your dietary habits and long-term health. This guide will demystify the key components of a food label, from the nutrition facts panel to the ingredients list, so you can shop smarter and eat healthier.

Quick Summary

This article explains how to interpret food labels, including serving sizes, calories, fats, and added sugars, to make informed purchasing decisions. It also covers understanding ingredient lists and health claims to identify nutritious options and avoid misleading marketing tactics.

Key Points

Start with the Serving Size: Always check the serving size and servings per container, as all nutritional information is based on this amount.
Look at the Percent Daily Value (%DV): Use the %DV to quickly gauge if a food is high (20% or more) or low (5% or less) in key nutrients you want to limit or get more of.
Scan the 'Limit' Nutrients: Pay close attention to saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars, choosing products with lower %DVs for these.
Prioritize Beneficial Nutrients: Seek out foods with higher %DVs for dietary fiber, calcium, iron, and potassium to boost your intake of essential nutrients.
Check the Ingredients List: Ingredients are listed by weight, from most to least.
Decode Hidden Ingredients: Learn common aliases for sugar, fat, and salt.
Use the 'Per 100g' Column for Comparison: Use the 'per 100g' column to compare products accurately.
Question Health Claims: Verify claims on the Nutrition Facts panel.

Decoding the Nutrition Facts Panel

Understanding the Nutrition Facts panel is crucial for using food labels to make good choices. It details a product's nutritional content based on a standardized serving size.

Start with the Serving Size and Servings Per Container

The serving information is at the top of the panel and includes the Serving Size (amount typically eaten in one sitting) and Servings Per Container (number of servings in the package). If you eat more than one serving, adjust nutrient values accordingly.

Analyze Key Nutrients: The 'Good' and the 'Bad'

It's important to identify nutrients to limit and prioritize. Limiting saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars supports heart health and weight management. Prioritize nutrients like dietary fiber, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, and Potassium.

Grasping the Percent Daily Value (%DV)

The %DV indicates a serving's contribution to your daily diet. A %DV of 5% or less is low, and 20% or more is high.

Mastering the Ingredients List

The ingredients list shows components in descending order by weight.

Identify Processed Foods

Long lists and unfamiliar ingredients often mean a food is highly processed. Watch for various names for sugar, partially hydrogenated oils, and sodium.

Comparing Products with Food Labels

Use the food label for comparison over marketing claims. To compare different serving sizes, use the 'per 100g' or 'per 100ml' column for standardization. Be wary of health claims like "light"; verify details on the Nutrition Facts panel. While some regions use rating systems, the detailed panel is key for reliable comparison {Link: Eat For Health https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/eating-well/how-understand-food-labels}.

Case Study: Comparing Two Canned Soups


Feature	Soup A (Basic)	Soup B (Low-Sodium)	Insight
Serving Size	1 cup	1 cup	Equal serving sizes allow direct comparison.
Calories	120	110	Soup B is slightly lower in calories.
Sodium	870 mg (38% DV)	480 mg (21% DV)	Soup B is significantly lower in sodium.
Saturated Fat	3.5 g (18% DV)	1 g (5% DV)	Soup B is low in saturated fat.
Added Sugars	4 g	1 g	Soup B has minimal added sugars.
Ingredients List	Water, salt, noodles, chicken fat, chicken, carrots...	Water, noodles, chicken, carrots, celery, potassium chloride...	Soup B uses potassium chloride as a salt substitute and has a simpler ingredient list.

Outcome: Comparing the labels reveals Soup B as the healthier choice due to lower sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar.

The Power of Food Label Knowledge

Understanding food labels enables informed decisions for your health. Analyzing facts and ingredients helps choose products aligned with your goals, whether reducing sodium, limiting added sugars, or increasing fiber. This knowledge is also vital for managing health conditions or allergies. Informed choices support a healthier diet and overall well-being {Link: Eat For Health https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/eating-well/how-understand-food-labels}.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most important parts are the serving size, servings per container, and the % Daily Value (%DV). Start with the serving size to correctly interpret the rest of the information, then use the %DV to see if the product is high or low in nutrients like saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.

On the Nutrition Facts panel, look for the 'Added Sugars' line, which is now explicitly listed. Also, examine the ingredients list for sugar aliases like corn syrup, fructose, and dextrose. If any of these are near the top of the list, the product is likely high in sugar.

The '5-20 Rule' is a quick guide based on the % Daily Value (%DV). A %DV of 5% or less is low, and a %DV of 20% or more is high. Aim for foods with a low %DV for nutrients you want to limit (saturated fat, sodium, added sugars) and a high %DV for nutrients you want to increase (fiber, vitamins).

No, the term 'natural' is often misleading. It doesn't mean the food is free from preservatives, artificial ingredients, or has a superior nutritional value. Always read the ingredient list and the Nutrition Facts panel to make an informed decision.

To compare accurately, use the 'per 100g' or 'per 100ml' column on the nutrition panel. This standardizes the data, removing discrepancies caused by different manufacturer-defined serving sizes.

Always read the ingredient list carefully. Major allergens like nuts, soy, dairy, and wheat must be clearly listed and often appear in bold or are otherwise emphasized. Also, be aware of 'may contain' warnings, which indicate potential cross-contamination.

A 'use by' date indicates when a product is no longer safe to eat, while a 'best before' date refers to the product's peak quality and taste. Following these dates helps ensure food safety and freshness.