Key facts
- The Nutrition Facts label has four parts: serving information, calories, nutrients and Percent Daily Value. 1
- 5% Daily Value or less per serving is considered low; 20% or more is considered high. 1
- Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet, used as a general guide. 1
- US law names nine major food allergens; sesame became the ninth on January 1, 2023. 2
- Health claims generally require FDA authorization; nutrient content claims such as low or high follow FDA rules. 3
The four parts of the Nutrition Facts label
The FDA page on the Nutrition Facts label describes it in order. First comes the serving information: the number of servings per container and the serving size, which reflects the amount people typically eat, not a recommendation. Then come the calories in one serving. Then the nutrients, split between those to get less of and those to get more of. Finally, the Percent Daily Value shows how much a serving contributes to a full day's diet.
| Part | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Serving information | Servings per container and serving size, based on typical amounts eaten |
| Calories | Calories in one serving; eating two servings doubles them |
| Nutrients to get less of | Saturated fat, sodium and added sugars |
| Nutrients to get more of | Dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium |
| Percent Daily Value (%DV) | Share of the Daily Value for each nutrient in one serving |
What the Percent Daily Value means
The Percent Daily Value puts every nutrient on the same scale from 0 to 100%, so you do not have to do the math. The FDA gives a rule of thumb: 5% Daily Value or less of a nutrient per serving is considered low, and 20% or more is considered high. Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet, which the FDA describes as a general guide; individual needs vary.
Doing the arithmetic on a label
The numbers on a label describe one serving, so the first step is always to compare the serving with what you actually eat. The FDA notes that eating two servings doubles the calories, and the same is true of every nutrient and of its Percent Daily Value.1 The table shows the arithmetic with an invented example; it is not a real product.
| Item | One serving | Whole package (2.5 servings) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 200 | 500 |
| Sodium, Percent Daily Value | 10% | 25% |
| Dietary fiber, Percent Daily Value | 8% | 20% |
Invented numbers for illustration. Multiply the serving values by the number of servings you eat.
The example also shows why the 5% and 20% marks need care. A nutrient that looks moderate for one serving can reach the high mark if you eat the whole package, so the rule of thumb applies to the amount you eat, not to the figure printed on the front.
The nine major food allergens
Under US law, the major food allergens are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 named the first eight; the FASTER Act, signed on April 23, 2021, added sesame as the ninth, effective January 1, 2023.
The food source of each major allergen must appear at least once on the label: either in parentheses after the ingredient name, as in “whey (milk)”, or in a “Contains” statement next to the ingredient list, as in “Contains wheat, milk and soy”. The specific tree nut, fish species or crustacean species must be named.
What label claims mean
The FDA describes several kinds of claims on conventional foods. A health claim describes a relationship between a food substance and the risk of a health-related condition; it generally requires FDA authorization, based on a standard of significant scientific agreement, and qualified health claims must carry wording that signals limited evidence. A nutrient content claim describes the level of a nutrient, with terms such as “free”, “high” and “low”, or compares it with another food, with terms such as “reduced” or “lite”; these terms are defined by FDA regulations.
Claims as defined terms
The sources read for this page treat claims as terms with rules behind them. The table sets the main kinds side by side, using only what the FDA pages state.3
| Kind of claim | What it does | What the FDA says |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrient content claim | Describes the level of a nutrient, with words such as free, high or low | The terms are defined by FDA regulations |
| Comparative claim | Compares a food with another, with words such as reduced or lite | The terms are defined by FDA regulations |
| Health claim | Describes a relationship between a food substance and the risk of a health-related condition | Generally requires FDA authorization, based on significant scientific agreement |
| Qualified health claim | A health claim backed by less evidence | Must carry wording that signals the evidence is limited |
Reading a label in thirty seconds
- Start with the serving size and the number of servings per container.
- Check the calories for the amount you actually eat.
- Use the 5% and 20% Daily Value marks to judge whether a nutrient is low or high.
- Look for the allergens in the ingredient list or the “Contains” statement.
- Read the claims as defined terms, not as promises.
These tips are one way of using the information described above; they are not official rules.
Comparing two products fairly
A label is easiest to use when you compare two similar foods side by side. Check first that the serving sizes are comparable, because the FDA explains that the serving size reflects the amount people typically eat, an amount that is not the same for every food.1 If one product lists a serving of 30 grams and another 55 grams, the calories per serving are not a fair comparison; compare the Percent Daily Value of the same nutrient for the amount you plan to eat.
- Look at the same line on both labels, for example saturated fat or sodium.
- Adjust for the serving size before you compare the numbers.
- Use the 5% and 20% marks to see whether each product is low or high for that nutrient.
- Remember that a claim on the front of the pack is not a substitute for reading the panel.
Making label reading a habit
Reading a label works well when it becomes part of an existing routine, such as unpacking the groceries or planning the week's meals. Research on how long it takes to form a habit suggests tying a new action to a stable cue, and the guide to a morning routine shows how. The difference between a habit and a ritual is explained in ritual, routine, habit. All three sit in habits and routines, and the rest of the library is in the Chutex guides.
What this page does not say
- It rates no product and names no brand.
- It summarizes general rules; specific rules apply to some foods.
- Date labels such as use-by or sell-by wording were not covered by the sources read for this page.
Frequently asked questions
What are the parts of the Nutrition Facts label?
According to the FDA, the label has four main parts: serving information, with the number of servings and the serving size; the calories in one serving; the nutrients, split between those to get less of and those to get more of; and the Percent Daily Value for each nutrient in one serving.
What does the Percent Daily Value mean?
It shows how much one serving contributes to the Daily Value of a nutrient, on a scale from 0 to 100%. As a rule of thumb from the FDA, 5% Daily Value or less per serving is low and 20% or more is high. Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet, used as a general guide.
What are the nine major food allergens?
Under US law, they are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. The 2004 Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act named the first eight, and the FASTER Act of 2021 added sesame as the ninth, effective January 1, 2023, according to the FDA.
How must allergens be shown on a label?
The food source of each major allergen must appear at least once: either in parentheses after the ingredient name, such as whey (milk), or in a Contains statement next to the ingredient list. According to the FDA, the specific tree nut, fish species or crustacean species must also be named on the label.
What is a nutrient content claim?
It is a claim that describes the level of a nutrient in a food, with terms such as free, high and low, or compares it with another food, with terms such as reduced or lite. According to the FDA, these claims must be authorized and made according to FDA regulations, which define what each term means.
What is an authorized health claim?
According to the FDA, a health claim describes a relationship between a food substance and the risk of a health-related condition. Health claims generally require FDA authorization, based on a standard of significant scientific agreement. Qualified health claims, backed by less evidence, must carry wording that signals that the evidence is limited.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label. Content current as of 5 March 2024, U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved October 27, 2026
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Food Allergies. Content current as of 11 March 2026, U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved October 27, 2026
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Page on label claims for conventional foods. Content current as of 28 March 2024, U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved October 27, 2026