Since 1994, food and beverage companies have been required by law to place a Nutrition Facts Panel on items sold in stores and markets. It is meant to supply you, the consumer, with information about the food’s nutrients in an easy-to-follow format. If you aren’t familiar with it, it can look like a few numbers and percentages. It is there to show you the amount of calories and nutrients in one serving of food, and help you make informed choices. Here, we’ve created a quick guide to the Nutrition Facts Panel.
A good place to start when considering the DV percentages is to think “high and low”. A DV of 20% or more is considered high. It’s recommended to aim high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A DV of 5% or below is considered low. Saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars are the nutrients you want to aim low in. Take a look at this nutrition facts label. What is this food high in and what is it low in? Based on what you’ve found, is this a food you’d choose?
Written by Adriene Worthington RD, LDN