Deciphering the Nutrition Facts Label: Do You Know What You're Eating?
How much calcium is in macaroni and cheese? Which brand of macaroni and cheese has the least fat? The best way to find out this information and more is to read the food label. All food packages bear the Nutrition Facts label, which is full of useful information to help you eat more healthfully.
Let's look at a sample label for macaroni and cheese to find out what is inside.
Nutrition Facts | |
| Serving Size: 1 cup (228g) | |
| Servings Per Container: 2 | |
Amount Per Serving | |
| Calories 250 Calories from Fat 110 | |
% Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 12 g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat 3 g | 15% |
| Trans Fat 1.5 g | |
| Cholesterol 30 mg | 10% |
| Sodium 470 mg | 20% |
| Total Carbohydrate 31 g | 10% |
| Dietary Fiber 0 g | 0% |
| Sugars 5 g | |
| Protein 5 g | |
| Vitamin A | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 2% |
| Calcium | 20% |
| Iron | 4% |
| *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie need | |||
Calories | 2,000 | 2,500 | |
Total Fat | Less than | 65 g | 80 g |
Saturated Fat | Less than | 20 g | 25 g |
Cholesterol | Less than | 300 mg | 300 mg |
Sodium | Less than | 2,400 mg | 2,400 mg |
Total Carbohydrate | 300 g | 375 g | |
Dietary Fiber | 25 g | 30 g | |
Serving Size
Serving Size: 1 cup (228 g) |
| Servings Per Container: 2 |
The serving size tells you the amount of food that the nutrient information given on the label is based on. Pay attention to the serving size, including how many servings are in a package, and compare it to how much you actually eat. In the sample label above, one serving of macaroni and cheese equals one cup. If you ate the entire package, you would eat two cups, which means you would also consume twice the amount of the nutrients listed on the label.
Calories and Calories From Fat
Calories and Calories From Fat
Amount Per Serving |
| Calories 250 Calories from Fat 110 |
Calories are a measure of how much energy you get from food. Calories come from three sources: fat, protein, and carbohydrate. The label tells you how many of the calories in one serving come from fat.
Important Nutrients
The top half of the nutrition label lists nutrients that can strongly affect your health. They can be divided into two groups: those to limit and those to get enough of.
Nutrients to Limit
Important Nutrients
The top half of the nutrition label lists nutrients that can strongly affect your health. They can be divided into two groups: those to limit and those to get enough of.
Nutrients to Limit
Total Fat 12 g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat 3 g | 15% |
| Trans Fat 1.5 g | |
| Cholesterol 30 mg | 10% |
| Sodium 470 mg | 20% |
These are the nutrients that can have adverse effects on your health if they are eaten in excess. For example, too much fat, too much cholesterol, or too much sodium may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases including heart disease, some forms of cancer, and high blood pressure. Saturated fat and Trans fat is of particular concern. Unsaturated fats, which are not required to be listed on a label, are a healthier type of fat. Most of the fat you eat should be the unsaturated type (both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated). Each gram of fat, whether it is saturated or unsaturated, provides nine calories.
Another kind of fat on the label is trans fats. Most trans fats come from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils as found in vegetable shortenings and some margarines, which are commonly used in baked goods. Trans fats, along with saturated fats and cholesterol, increase the "bad" lipids in your blood, putting you at higher risk for heart disease.
Eating too many calories in general can lead to overweight and obesity. Being overweight is a risk factor for many health conditions including type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis. Therefore, it is essential to also note the total calories listed on the label.
Nutrients to Get Enough of
Another kind of fat on the label is trans fats. Most trans fats come from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils as found in vegetable shortenings and some margarines, which are commonly used in baked goods. Trans fats, along with saturated fats and cholesterol, increase the "bad" lipids in your blood, putting you at higher risk for heart disease.
Eating too many calories in general can lead to overweight and obesity. Being overweight is a risk factor for many health conditions including type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis. Therefore, it is essential to also note the total calories listed on the label.
Nutrients to Get Enough of
Dietary Fiber 0 g | 0% |
| Vitamin A | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 2% |
| Calcium | 20% |
| Iron | 4% |
These are a few of the nutrients that are beneficial to our health, and many Americans may not get enough. These include vitamins A and C, the minerals calcium and iron, and fiber. Calcium can help decrease the risk of osteoporosis, while vitamin C acts as an antioxidant. Fiber, which helps to maintain regularity, is also believed to help decrease the risk of certain chronic diseases.
Total Carbohydrate
Here, you can find the total grams of carbohydrate in the product. One gram of carbohydrate provides four calories. Total carbohydrate includes dietary fiber and sugars, which are both listed on the label, as well as other forms of carbohydrate.
The Percent Daily Value (%DV)
The percent daily values are listed in the right-hand column of the Nutrition Facts label. These percentages tell you whether the nutrients in a serving of food contribute a lot or a little to your total daily nutrient intake— 5% or less is "a little" and 20% or more is "a lot."
For example, one serving of macaroni and cheese provides 2% of the daily value for vitamin C. This is a little, and therefore, this food is not a good source of vitamin C. Be sure to eat other foods rich in this vitamin (fruits and vegetables) throughout the day. On the other hand, one serving of macaroni and cheese provides 20% of the daily value of calcium. This is considered a lot, making this food a good source of calcium. You will still need to eat other calcium-rich foods throughout the day to reach 100% of the daily value, but this food provides a significant amount.
What Is My Daily Value?
Total Carbohydrate
Here, you can find the total grams of carbohydrate in the product. One gram of carbohydrate provides four calories. Total carbohydrate includes dietary fiber and sugars, which are both listed on the label, as well as other forms of carbohydrate.
The Percent Daily Value (%DV)
The percent daily values are listed in the right-hand column of the Nutrition Facts label. These percentages tell you whether the nutrients in a serving of food contribute a lot or a little to your total daily nutrient intake— 5% or less is "a little" and 20% or more is "a lot."
For example, one serving of macaroni and cheese provides 2% of the daily value for vitamin C. This is a little, and therefore, this food is not a good source of vitamin C. Be sure to eat other foods rich in this vitamin (fruits and vegetables) throughout the day. On the other hand, one serving of macaroni and cheese provides 20% of the daily value of calcium. This is considered a lot, making this food a good source of calcium. You will still need to eat other calcium-rich foods throughout the day to reach 100% of the daily value, but this food provides a significant amount.
What Is My Daily Value?
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. | |||
Calories | 2,000 | 2,500 | |
Total Fat | Less than | 65 g | 80 g |
Saturated Fat | Less than | 20 g | 25 g |
Cholesterol | Less than | 300 mg | 300 mg |
Sodium | Less than | 2,400 mg | 2,400 mg |
Total Carbohydrate | 300 g | 375 g | |
Dietary Fiber | 25 g | 30 g | |
The percent daily values are based on recommendations for a 2,000 calorie diet and are outlined in a table below the Nutrition Facts label. The information in this table is exactly the same on all food products. (Small food products may not have this table if there is not enough room to display it.) These values are based on expert dietary advice for the amount of certain nutrients you should consume over the course of the day.
People's actual calorie intakes can vary widely around 2,000 calories, so you may need greater or lesser amounts of these nutrients based on your actual calorie intake. However, the daily values provide a good starting point to refer to. For example, just knowing that one serving of macaroni and cheese contains 12 grams of fat is not very helpful. But to know that this 12 grams accounts for 18% of the total amount you should have in a day is a more useful way of interpreting it. Also, referring to the note that 5% is a little and 20% is a lot, one serving of macaroni and cheese is closer to "a lot" than "a little" amount of fat.
Comparing Percent Daily Values
The percent daily value makes it easy for you to compare the nutrient contents of different brands of similar foods. But first check the serving size to see that it is the same; serving sizes are generally consistent for similar types of food. This can help you choose the product with the lower percentage of fat or the greater percentage of calcium, for example.
Sugars and Protein
There are no daily values for sugars and proteins.
People's actual calorie intakes can vary widely around 2,000 calories, so you may need greater or lesser amounts of these nutrients based on your actual calorie intake. However, the daily values provide a good starting point to refer to. For example, just knowing that one serving of macaroni and cheese contains 12 grams of fat is not very helpful. But to know that this 12 grams accounts for 18% of the total amount you should have in a day is a more useful way of interpreting it. Also, referring to the note that 5% is a little and 20% is a lot, one serving of macaroni and cheese is closer to "a lot" than "a little" amount of fat.
Comparing Percent Daily Values
The percent daily value makes it easy for you to compare the nutrient contents of different brands of similar foods. But first check the serving size to see that it is the same; serving sizes are generally consistent for similar types of food. This can help you choose the product with the lower percentage of fat or the greater percentage of calcium, for example.
Sugars and Protein
There are no daily values for sugars and proteins.
| % Daily Value* | |
| Sugars 5 g | |
| Protein 5 g |
There is no DV for sugars because there is no specific recommendation for the amount of sugar we should eat each day. The amount of sugar listed here includes both natural sugars (such as those that occur in fruits and dairy products), as well as sugars added during processing. To determine which type of sugars a food product contains, check the ingredient list.
Usually, there is no DV given for protein. This is because protein intake is not a major health concern for adults and children over the age of four. However, if a food package makes a specific claim about its protein intake, such as "high in protein," the %DV must then be included. The average American eats plenty of protein in his or her daily diet. Each gram of protein provides four calories.
Calcium
Usually, there is no DV given for protein. This is because protein intake is not a major health concern for adults and children over the age of four. However, if a food package makes a specific claim about its protein intake, such as "high in protein," the %DV must then be included. The average American eats plenty of protein in his or her daily diet. Each gram of protein provides four calories.
Calcium
Calcium | 20% |
The DV for calcium is 1,000 (milligrams) mg per day. To determine the exact amount of calcium in a product, you will need to do a little math—just multiply the %DV by 10. If a container of yogurt contains 30% DV, multiply this by 10, which will give you the value of 300 mg.
The DV is 1,000 mg, which is the recommendation for people ages 19-50. However, adolescents (ages 9-18) need 1,300 mg per day, and people age 51 and older need 1,200 mg each day. For these groups, strive for 130% and 120% of the daily value, respectively.
The DV is 1,000 mg, which is the recommendation for people ages 19-50. However, adolescents (ages 9-18) need 1,300 mg per day, and people age 51 and older need 1,200 mg each day. For these groups, strive for 130% and 120% of the daily value, respectively.
RESOURCES:
American Dietetic Association
http://www.eatright.org/
US Food and Drug Administration
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/
http://www.eatright.org/
US Food and Drug Administration
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
REFERENCES:
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. US Food and Drug Administration website. Available at: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov . Accessed July 15, 2008.
Duyff RL, ADA. The American Dietetic Association's Complete Food & Nutrition Guide . Chronimed Publishing; 1998.
DynaMed Editorial Team. Hypertension. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php. Updated June 21, 2010. Accessed June 29, 2010.
US Food and Drug Administration. How to understand and use the nutrition facts label. US Food and Drug Administration website. Available at: http://www.fda.gov.... Updated June 18, 2009. Accessed June 29, 2010.
Duyff RL, ADA. The American Dietetic Association's Complete Food & Nutrition Guide . Chronimed Publishing; 1998.
DynaMed Editorial Team. Hypertension. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php. Updated June 21, 2010. Accessed June 29, 2010.
US Food and Drug Administration. How to understand and use the nutrition facts label. US Food and Drug Administration website. Available at: http://www.fda.gov.... Updated June 18, 2009. Accessed June 29, 2010.
This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.
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