What is on the Standard Nutrition Facts Panel?

October 11, 2025 •

4 min read

The first Nutrition Facts label was introduced in the U.S. in 1994, with a significant update becoming mandatory in 2021 to provide more relevant nutritional information. Understanding what is on the standard nutrition facts panel is essential for making informed dietary choices that support overall health and wellness.

Quick Summary

The standard nutrition facts panel features serving information, calories, macronutrients like fats and carbohydrates, micronutrients such as Vitamin D and iron, and % Daily Value. Key sections include serving size, total calories, and detailed lists of nutrients to limit and get more of, helping consumers understand a food's nutritional contribution.

Key Points

Serving Size Is Key: All information on the label is based on the serving size, which may not reflect how much you typically eat.
Calories Provide Energy: The prominent calorie count indicates the energy per serving, so multiply if you eat more than one serving.
Limit Saturated Fat, Sodium, and Added Sugars: Health experts advise limiting these nutrients, which are highlighted on the label.
Increase Beneficial Nutrients: The panel lists nutrients like fiber, Vitamin D, and calcium that many people need more of.
Use % Daily Value as a Guide: The %DV helps you determine if a food is high or low in a nutrient, with 5% being low and 20% being high.
Added Sugars Are Now Mandatory: The modern label clearly separates added sugars from naturally occurring ones for better clarity.

Understanding the Core Components of the Nutrition Facts Panel

The standard nutrition facts panel serves as a vital tool for consumers to evaluate the nutritional content of packaged foods. By breaking down the complex information into easily digestible parts, shoppers can quickly compare products and align their choices with their dietary goals. The panel is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and includes several key components, from serving information to a list of specific nutrients. Mastering how to read this label is a powerful step toward a healthier lifestyle.

Serving Information: The Foundation of the Label

At the very top of the label, you'll find the "Serving Size" and the "Servings Per Container". This is the most critical starting point, as all other nutritional data presented on the panel refers to this standardized serving amount. It is important to note that the serving size is not a recommendation for how much you should eat, but rather reflects the amount people typically consume. If you eat more or less than the specified serving, you must adjust the nutritional values accordingly.

Calories: Energy at a Glance

Directly beneath the serving information, the total calorie count per serving is prominently displayed in a large, bold font. Calories measure the energy you get from one serving of the food. It is crucial to consider the number of servings you consume, as a full package may contain several servings, significantly increasing your total calorie intake.

Key Nutrients to Limit

This section of the panel highlights nutrients that many health experts recommend limiting to reduce the risk of certain health conditions. These include:

Total Fat: This includes all types of fat in one serving, including saturated and trans fats.
Saturated Fat: Eating too much saturated fat can increase blood cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.
Trans Fat: The FDA has phased out most artificial trans fat, but products may still contain small amounts.
Sodium: A diet high in sodium is linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure.
Added Sugars: This new addition to the label helps consumers identify sugars that are added during food processing, excluding naturally occurring sugars.

Key Nutrients to Get More Of

Conversely, the panel also lists beneficial nutrients that many Americans do not get enough of. Increasing your intake of these can support overall health. This includes:

Dietary Fiber: Promotes healthy digestion and can help lower blood cholesterol.
Vitamin D: Essential for bone health.
Calcium: Critical for strong bones and teeth.
Iron: Important for carrying oxygen in the blood.
Potassium: Helps maintain a healthy blood pressure.

Understanding Percent Daily Value (%DV)

The % Daily Value (%DV) is found in the right-hand column and helps you understand how much one serving of the food contributes to a 2,000-calorie daily diet. This provides a straightforward way to see if a food is high or low in a particular nutrient. The 5-20 rule offers a quick guide:

5% DV or less per serving is considered a low source of that nutrient.
20% DV or more per serving is considered a high source of that nutrient.

The %DV allows for easy comparison between similar food products, though it's important to remember that individual needs can vary.

A Comparison of Old vs. New Nutrition Facts Panel


Feature	Old Label (pre-2021)	New Label (2021 and later)
Serving Size	Reflects amounts from decades ago.	Updated to reflect typical consumption habits.
Calories	Listed in smaller, less prominent font.	Displayed prominently in large, bold font.
Added Sugars	Not included as a separate line item.	Now a mandatory line item, with its own %DV.
Vitamins & Minerals	Mandatory listings for Vitamins A and C.	Mandatory listings for Vitamin D and Potassium (Americans often deficient).
Calories from Fat	Included on the panel.	Removed, as the type of fat is considered more important than total calories from fat.

Conclusion

The standard nutrition facts panel is a comprehensive and well-regulated source of information designed to empower consumers. From the foundational serving size to the quick guidance of the % Daily Value, it offers a snapshot of a food's nutritional profile. By focusing on key areas like calories, nutrients to limit (saturated fat, sodium, added sugars), and nutrients to increase (fiber, Vitamin D, calcium, iron, potassium), you can effectively use the panel to guide your dietary choices toward a more balanced and healthy diet. The FDA's 2021 update further enhances this tool by providing more modern and relevant information, making it even easier for consumers to understand their food.

Visit the FDA's resource on how to understand and use the Nutrition Facts Label for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most important sections are the serving size, total calories, the list of nutrients to limit (saturated fat, sodium, added sugars), and the list of nutrients to get more of (dietary fiber, Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium).

To calculate the total nutritional value, multiply the serving size and all nutritional data (calories, fat, etc.) by the number of servings per container.

The %DV is the percentage of a nutrient in a serving based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Use it to quickly determine if a food is a high source (20% or more) or low source (5% or less) of a particular nutrient.

Total sugars include both naturally occurring sugars (like in fruit and milk) and any added sugars. The 'Added Sugars' line specifically shows sugars and syrups added during processing.

Vitamins A and C are no longer mandatory on the updated label, though manufacturers can include them voluntarily. Vitamin D and Potassium are now required, as they are often under-consumed.

While these claims indicate a product is lower in that specific nutrient compared to the original, it doesn't guarantee overall healthiness. It's essential to check the entire panel for other nutrients like added sugars and calories.

Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first ingredient listed is present in the largest quantity. This helps you understand the product's primary composition.