What is a Nutrition Facts Panel? An Essential Guide

December 9, 2025 •

3 min read

Over 70% of consumers in the US report reading the Nutrition Facts panel at least some of the time, according to FDA surveys. This vital tool, found on most packaged foods, demystifies a product's nutritional content, from calories and fat to vitamins and minerals.

Quick Summary

A Nutrition Facts panel is a standardized label on packaged foods detailing nutritional content per serving. It includes key information on calories, fats, carbohydrates, protein, and micronutrients to help consumers make informed dietary decisions.

Key Points

Serving Information is Key: Always check the serving size and servings per container, as all other values on the panel are based on this metric.
Daily Value Acts as a Guide: Use the %DV column and the 5/20 rule (5% or less is low, 20% or more is high) to quickly assess a nutrient's contribution to your daily intake.
Limit Certain Nutrients: Pay special attention to saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars, aiming for products with lower %DV for these components.
Prioritize Beneficial Nutrients: Actively seek out foods high in dietary fiber, Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium to meet your daily requirements.
Compare Similar Products: Use the panel to compare nutritional profiles of similar products (e.g., cereals, dressings) to select the healthier option.
Check for 'Added Sugars': The updated label now explicitly lists 'Added Sugars,' which helps distinguish between naturally occurring and added sweeteners.

What is a Nutrition Facts Panel?

A Nutrition Facts panel is a standardized label on packaged food products that provides detailed information about the nutritional content per serving. Regulatory bodies like the FDA in the United States mandate it to help consumers make informed food choices and support healthier diets. The panel offers a clear breakdown of calories, macronutrients, and micronutrients, assisting with weight management, dietary restrictions, and monitoring key nutrient intake. In the US, the panel was significantly updated in 2016 to align with current dietary science and enhance public accessibility.

Breaking Down the Main Sections of the Panel

The Nutrition Facts panel provides several key pieces of information, organized into distinct sections:

Serving Information: This section at the top specifies the “Serving Size” and “Servings Per Container”. All nutritional values listed are based on a single serving. Consuming the entire package when it contains multiple servings means consuming proportionally more calories and nutrients. Standardized serving sizes aid comparison between similar products.
Calories: This number, highlighted on updated labels, shows the energy provided by one serving. It's a critical figure for those managing body weight, as energy balance is crucial.
Macronutrients: Listed below calories are Total Fat, Total Carbohydrates, and Protein. These provide energy and building blocks for the body. Subcategories like Saturated Fat, Trans Fat, and Added Sugars offer more detailed health-relevant data.
Micronutrients: The panel also details essential vitamins and minerals. The updated US label requires information on Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium, as many Americans consume insufficient amounts of these.
Percent Daily Value (%DV): This column indicates how much one serving contributes to a 2,000-calorie daily diet. A useful guideline is the 5/20 rule: 5% DV or less suggests a low amount of a nutrient, while 20% DV or more indicates a high amount.

How to Use a Nutrition Facts Panel for Healthier Choices

To make the most of the panel:

Start with Serving Size: Understand how much a single serving is.
Consider Calories: Use the calorie count in relation to your daily needs.
Identify Nutrients to Limit: Pay attention to saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars, using the %DV to guide choices.
Find Nutrients to Increase: Look for products high in beneficial nutrients like fiber, Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium.
Compare Products: Use the label to compare the nutritional profiles of similar food items.

New vs. Old Nutrition Facts Panel


Feature	Old Label	Updated 2016 Label
Serving Size & Calories	Standard font	Larger, bolder font.
Added Sugars	Included in “Sugars”	Includes Added Sugars with grams and %DV.
Daily Values	Based on older data	Updated based on current dietary science.
Vitamins & Minerals	Required Vitamin A & C, plus calcium & iron	Required Vitamin D, potassium, calcium & iron; A & C optional.
Calories from Fat	Shown separately	Removed; focus shifted to type of fat.

Conclusion: A Powerful Tool for Better Health

The Nutrition Facts panel is an essential tool for making informed food choices and supporting public health. It standardizes nutritional information, allowing consumers to easily compare products and align food selections with personal health goals. Using the panel regularly can increase awareness of dietary intake and contribute to overall wellness. For comprehensive information on US food labeling, refer to the official {Link: FDA website https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label}.

An Important Note on Ingredients

Complementary to the Nutrition Facts panel is the ingredients list, which provides a different view of a food product. Ingredients are listed by weight in descending order. This list is helpful for identifying allergens or specific ingredients to avoid, and can reveal details not immediately obvious from the panel, such as a high sugar content in a low-fat product.

Tip: Rely on the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredients list rather than just front-of-package marketing claims for accurate product information.

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for personalized guidance.

Understanding the Footnote

The footnote at the bottom of the panel clarifies that the % Daily Value is based on a 2,000-calorie diet. This is a general guide, as individual calorie needs vary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Total Sugars includes both naturally occurring sugars (found in fruits and milk) and sugars added during processing. Added Sugars, a new feature on the updated panel, specifically accounts for sugars, syrups, and honey that are added to foods, providing better clarity for consumers.

The FDA updated the label based on newer scientific evidence and updated daily values. Key information like calories and serving sizes were also made more prominent.

The 5/20 rule is a quick guide for interpreting the % Daily Value (%DV). If a nutrient's %DV is 5% or less, it's considered a low source of that nutrient. If it's 20% or more, it's a high source. You can use this to aim for low %DV for things like saturated fat and high %DV for things like fiber.

The FDA removed 'Calories from Fat' because scientific research indicates the type of fat is more important than quantity. The updated label focuses on Saturated and Trans Fats.

No. While the actual amount and %DV for Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium are required, other vitamins and minerals may be listed voluntarily by the manufacturer. This helps highlight specific nutrients that Americans often lack.

Use the panel to compare the serving sizes and %DV of key nutrients. For example, if comparing yogurts, check for lower added sugars and higher protein or Vitamin D. Ensure you are comparing based on the same serving size for an accurate comparison.

For packages between one and two servings, calories and nutrients are labeled as one serving. Larger packages may use a dual column label showing values for both one serving and the entire container.