Why it is important to read food labels correctly for a healthier life

October 31, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the World Health Organization, diet-related non-communicable diseases are a leading cause of death globally. Learning why it is important to read food labels correctly is a powerful step toward making healthier food choices that can significantly impact your overall well-being.

Quick Summary

Deciphering food labels empowers consumers to make healthy decisions, manage specific dietary needs, and avoid potentially harmful ingredients like hidden sugars and excessive sodium. Understanding serving sizes, daily values, and ingredient lists is critical for nutritional awareness.

Key Points

Serving Size Matters: All nutritional information on a label relates to the stated serving size, not the whole package, which can drastically alter your actual intake of calories and nutrients.
Daily Value Percentage: The % Daily Value (%DV) helps you understand if a food is high (20% or more) or low (5% or less) in a particular nutrient, like sodium or fiber.
Ingredient Order is Key: Ingredients are listed by weight, from most to least. The closer an ingredient like sugar or an unhealthy fat is to the top, the more of it the product contains.
Watch for Hidden Sugars: Sugars have many aliases, such as dextrose, corn syrup, and agave nectar. Reading the ingredient list reveals these hidden additives, even in savory foods.
Allergen Safety: For those with allergies, reading the label is non-negotiable. Always check for allergen warnings, as ingredients can change unexpectedly.
Don't Trust Claims Alone: Front-of-package claims like 'natural' or 'low-fat' can be misleading. Always verify claims by checking the detailed Nutrition Facts panel.
Compare 'Per 100g' Values: Use the 'per 100g' column to accurately compare similar products, as serving sizes often vary between brands.

Decoding the Nutrition Facts Panel

The Nutrition Facts panel is the core of any food label, offering a detailed breakdown of a product's nutritional content. A correct interpretation of this information is vital for making informed dietary decisions.

Understand Serving Size and Servings Per Container

At the very top of the panel, you will find the serving size and servings per container. This is one of the most frequently misunderstood parts of a food label. All the information that follows—calories, fat, sugar—is based on this specific serving size, not the entire package. A small bag of trail mix might contain three servings, so if you eat the whole bag, you are consuming three times the calories and nutrients listed.

Limit Nutrients That Adversely Affect Health

Added Sugars: The updated Nutrition Facts panel explicitly lists 'Added Sugars,' making it easier to distinguish from natural sugars found in fruit or milk. Excessive intake of added sugars is linked to various health problems.
Saturated and Trans Fats: While some fat is necessary, limiting saturated and trans fats is crucial for heart health. Trans fat is particularly harmful, and even a '0g' claim can be misleading if the ingredients list contains 'partially hydrogenated oil,' meaning it contains a small, but not insignificant, amount per serving.
Sodium: Many processed foods are surprisingly high in sodium. Reading the label helps you choose products with lower sodium levels, which is vital for managing blood pressure.

Get Enough Beneficial Nutrients

Conversely, the label can guide you toward foods rich in essential nutrients like dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, and iron. A food with a 20% Daily Value (DV) or more for a nutrient is considered a high source.

Navigating the Ingredients List

The ingredients list provides a clear picture of what's actually in your food, beyond the numbers on the Nutrition Facts panel. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first few items make up the bulk of the product.

Spotting Hidden Sugars: Sugar can hide under many different names, including high-fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, dextrose, and molasses. A long list of '-ose' words is a major red flag.
Recognizing Additives and Preservatives: The ingredients list also reveals food additives, thickeners, and preservatives. While many are harmless, understanding what they are and their purpose can help you decide if a product fits your dietary goals. For example, some 'natural' foods can still contain additives.
Identifying Allergens: For individuals with food allergies, the ingredients list is a lifeline. In many countries, major allergens like peanuts, milk, and wheat must be clearly called out. However, it's crucial to read the list every time, as ingredients can change. Pay attention to precautionary statements like 'may contain' for potential cross-contamination risks.

Decoding Misleading Marketing Claims

Food packaging is a marketing tool designed to catch your eye. Phrases like 'low-fat,' 'natural,' or 'sugar-free' are often prominently displayed but can be deceiving.

'Low-Fat' vs. 'Reduced Fat': A 'low-fat' claim means the product meets specific fat content criteria, but a 'reduced fat' claim simply means it has 25% less fat than the original version, which could still be high. Furthermore, fat is often replaced with sugar to maintain flavor, so a 'low-fat' product might be high in sugar.
'Natural' is Unregulated: The term 'natural' lacks a strict, regulated definition in many regions. It does not guarantee a product is free from additives, genetic modifications, or artificial flavors.
'Organic' Guarantees: Unlike 'natural,' the term 'organic' is regulated and ensures products are grown and processed according to specific standards, without most synthetic pesticides or hormones. However, 'organic' does not necessarily mean low-calorie or more nutritious than its conventional counterpart.

Comparison of Labeled Products


Feature	Low-Fat Yogurt A	Full-Fat Yogurt B
Serving Size	1 container (170g)	1 container (170g)
Calories	120	150
Total Fat	2g	6g
Added Sugars	15g	8g
Protein	10g	9g
Health Implication	Lower in fat, but significantly higher in added sugar, potentially contributing more to overall caloric intake from less nutritious sources.	Higher in fat, but much lower in added sugar. A more balanced nutrient profile, potentially more satiating due to higher fat content.

This table illustrates how relying solely on a front-of-package claim like 'low-fat' can be misleading. While Yogurt A has less fat, it has nearly double the added sugar of Yogurt B. A person trying to reduce sugar intake might make the wrong choice without reading the full label correctly.

Conclusion

Understanding why it is important to read food labels correctly is an indispensable skill for navigating today's complex food landscape. It enables consumers to move beyond slick marketing tactics and make choices based on facts. From managing chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease to preventing dangerous allergic reactions and simply making healthier everyday choices, the ability to correctly interpret a food label is a powerful tool for self-empowerment and overall health. Developing this skill is one of the most direct ways to take control of your diet and, by extension, your well-being. For further information, the Food and Drug Administration provides comprehensive resources on how to read and use nutrition labels.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most important parts are the serving size and servings per container, as they define the context for all other nutritional information. The ingredients list is also vital for identifying what actually makes up the product.

Look for ingredients that end in '-ose' (sucrose, dextrose, maltose) or other names like corn syrup, honey, molasses, or fruit juice concentrate. If sugar is one of the first ingredients listed, the product contains a significant amount.

Not necessarily. Food manufacturers often replace fat with added sugars and other additives to maintain flavor in 'low-fat' or 'fat-free' products, so it's essential to check the Nutrition Facts panel for sugar and calorie content.

The 'use by' date indicates when a perishable food may become unsafe to eat. The 'best before' date, on the other hand, indicates peak quality and freshness; the food may still be safe to eat after this date.

The most accurate way is to compare the 'per 100g' or 'per 100ml' values in the Nutrition Information Panel, as serving sizes set by manufacturers can vary and be misleading.

The term 'natural' is not well-regulated and does not have a comprehensive federal standard. On most products (excluding meat and poultry), it is largely a marketing term and offers little to no assurance about the processing or ingredients.

Even for general wellness, reading labels helps you track calorie intake, understand macronutrient balance, and avoid excessive amounts of salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats that contribute to long-term health issues like heart disease and obesity.