Why should consumers be informed about food labels? A guide to better nutrition

October 29, 2025 •

5 min read

According to a survey, over half (58%) of consumers report reading nutrition labels when shopping for groceries. This statistic underscores the growing interest in understanding what we eat and highlights why should consumers be informed about food labels to make smarter, healthier dietary choices.

Quick Summary

Deciphering food labels is crucial for making informed dietary decisions, managing health conditions like allergies or diabetes, and avoiding hidden ingredients like added sugars and sodium. It provides essential information on nutritional content, allowing consumers to compare products and choose healthier options that align with their personal health goals.

Key Points

Informed Decision Making: Reading food labels allows consumers to make deliberate choices that align with their health and dietary goals.
Health Management: For those with allergies, diabetes, or other health conditions, labels are vital for identifying and controlling key ingredients like allergens, sugar, and sodium.
Ingredient Awareness: The ingredient list, ordered by weight, reveals the true composition of a product, helping consumers avoid hidden sugars, unhealthy fats, and additives.
Nutrient Comparison: The Nutrition Facts panel provides a standardized way to compare similar products and choose more nutrient-dense options.
Beyond Marketing: Understanding labels helps consumers look past misleading front-of-package marketing claims and focus on the actual nutritional value of a product.
Empowerment: Food label literacy gives consumers control over their nutrition, turning a passive purchase into an active and informed choice.

The Importance of Food Label Literacy

In a world flooded with processed and packaged foods, the information on food labels acts as a critical tool for consumer health and empowerment. Beyond just listing ingredients, food labels offer a comprehensive nutritional profile that helps individuals understand exactly what they are putting into their bodies. By becoming food label literate, consumers can move past misleading marketing claims and get to the heart of a product’s true value. This skill is vital for managing various health conditions, from allergies to chronic diseases, and for simply maintaining a balanced diet. The ability to read, comprehend, and apply this information is a cornerstone of modern nutrition, allowing for deliberate and health-conscious food purchases.

Decoding the Nutrition Facts Panel

The most prominent part of any food label is the Nutrition Facts panel, which provides a detailed breakdown of the product's nutritional content. Understanding each component is the first step toward informed eating. This panel outlines:

Serving Size and Servings Per Container: This is the foundation of the entire label. All nutritional information listed pertains to one serving. It is crucial to check this first, as many packages contain multiple servings, and consuming the whole package means multiplying the calories and nutrients accordingly.
Calories: Indicates the total energy provided by one serving. Keeping track of calorie intake is important for weight management.
Nutrients to Limit: Pay close attention to saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. Health experts often recommend limiting these nutrients, as high intake can be linked to health issues like heart disease and high blood pressure.
Nutrients to Prioritize: Look for nutrients like dietary fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. A higher percentage of the daily value for these can indicate a more nutrient-dense product.
Percentage of Daily Value (%DV): This provides context for the nutrient amounts. A %DV of 5% or less is considered low, while 20% or more is considered high. It helps you assess if a product is a significant source of a specific nutrient.

The All-Important Ingredients List

Equally important is the ingredients list, which provides a full account of what is in the food. By law, ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, meaning the first ingredient is the most abundant. This list is indispensable for several reasons:

Spotting Hidden Sugars and Fats: Manufacturers use many different names for added sugars (e.g., corn syrup, dextrose, fructose) and unhealthy fats (e.g., hydrogenated oils). The ingredients list reveals these additions, helping you avoid excessive intake.
Allergen Identification: For individuals with food allergies, the ingredients list is a lifeline. It clearly states the presence of common allergens like nuts, dairy, and soy.
Identifying Whole Foods: A shorter ingredients list with recognizable, whole-food ingredients is often an indicator of a less-processed, healthier option. A long list of unpronounceable chemicals can be a red flag.

Comparing Front-of-Pack and Back-of-Pack Information

While the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredients list are the gold standard, many products now feature front-of-pack (FOP) labels. These are often marketing tools designed to attract consumers, and it's essential to understand their relationship to the full label.


Feature	Front-of-Pack Claims (e.g., “Low Fat”, “Healthy”)	Back-of-Pack (Nutrition Facts Panel & Ingredients List)
Purpose	Attract consumer attention and highlight specific features.	Provide detailed, regulated nutritional and ingredient information.
Regulation	Must meet certain criteria to be used legally, but can be selective in focus.	Strictly regulated to ensure standardized, comprehensive data.
Completeness	Provides a limited, often single-nutrient snapshot of the product.	Offers a full nutritional profile and complete ingredient listing.
Risk of Misinterpretation	High; can lead consumers to believe a product is healthy when it is not (e.g., a “low-fat” item loaded with sugar).	Low; provides the objective data needed for a comprehensive assessment.
Consumer Action	Should be used as a prompt to investigate further.	The ultimate source of truth for making informed decisions.

The Health Benefits of Informed Label Reading

Knowing why should consumers be informed about food labels extends beyond simple curiosity; it directly impacts overall health and wellness. This knowledge enables individuals to:

Control Calorie and Nutrient Intake: By comparing serving sizes and calorie counts, consumers can more effectively manage their weight and energy levels. This is particularly important for individuals with weight-related health concerns.
Manage Health Conditions: For those with diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol, labels are crucial for monitoring sugar, sodium, and fat intake. Label reading can be a key part of disease management, preventing complications and improving quality of life.
Avoid Allergens and Intolerances: The ingredients list is non-negotiable for anyone with food allergies or sensitivities. Being able to quickly identify and avoid dangerous ingredients is a matter of safety.
Support Healthier Eating Habits: Informed consumers are more likely to choose nutrient-dense whole foods over processed alternatives. This promotes a more balanced diet, rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, leading to improved long-term health outcomes.

Empowering the Consumer

Ultimately, the act of reading a food label is one of empowerment. It allows consumers to take control of their health by providing the knowledge to make deliberate and meaningful choices. Instead of passively accepting marketing claims, an informed consumer can actively participate in their own nutrition. This promotes a healthier lifestyle and fosters a deeper understanding of food and its impact on the body.

Conclusion: Your Health, Your Choice

There is no question why should consumers be informed about food labels. The ability to read and understand these labels is an essential life skill that has a profound impact on health and well-being. From managing chronic diseases to supporting general fitness and preventing allergic reactions, the information contained on food labels is invaluable. It empowers consumers to see through marketing and focus on what truly matters: the quality and nutritional content of their food. By investing a little time in learning how to decipher these labels, consumers can make healthier choices that support a more vibrant and nourished life.

Optional Outbound Link: For more detailed information on interpreting nutrition facts, you can refer to the official FDA guide on understanding the Nutrition Facts label.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most important part to read first is the serving size, as all other nutritional information on the label is based on that specific amount.

You can spot hidden sugars by carefully reading the ingredients list. Look for terms like corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, maltose, and other words ending in 'ose,' as these are all forms of added sugar.

The %DV shows how much a nutrient in one serving contributes to a total daily diet. A %DV of 5% or less is considered low, while 20% or more is considered high.

The ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first ingredient listed is the most prevalent in the product. This helps you understand the product's primary components.

Food labels help manage weight by providing calorie information per serving and indicating amounts of fat and sugar. By comparing products and controlling portions, you can better manage your intake.

No, these claims can be misleading. According to the FDA, 'natural' has no official definition related to nutrition, and 'healthy' may only meet specific criteria while being high in other undesirable components like sugar. Always check the Nutrition Facts panel for the full picture.

To compare two products, look at the Nutrition Facts panel, specifically the 'per 100g' or 'per 100ml' values if available, to ensure an even comparison. Then, compare calories, nutrient levels, and the ingredients list.