What’s on a nutrition label?

There are two sections to the nutrition information on food labels: the Nutrient Information and the Ingredient List. It’s important to note that the nutrient amounts listed on a nutrition label indicate the amount in 1 serving, not the total amount in the container (unless specified). To determine the total calories in the whole package, multiply the calories per serving by the total number of servings.

The percent daily values (DV’s) listed on the nutrition facts panel help you determine how much of a nutrient the product provides in one serving based on a suggested total daily intake. The DV percentage represents the amount of each nutrient one should have in a day based on a 2000-calorie diet. Your child may need to eat fewer calories in a day, so keep this in mind and consult your pediatrician for your child’s needs.

The Nutrition Facts Panel

  • 1_tcm143-44677.jpg

    Serving:

    Tells you the number of ounces, grams, or milliliters in each serving,
    and the number of servings per container.

  • 2_tcm143-44678.jpg

    Calories:

    Shows the number of calories in one serving and how many
    of those calories come from fat.

  • 3_tcm143-44679.jpg

    Highlighted Nutrients:

    Provides the amount of the nutrient in each serving, which
    includes fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, fiber, sugar,
    and protein. Existing Percent DV’s can be found to the right
    of the nutrients in this section.

  • 4_tcm143-44694.jpg

    Vitamins & Minerals:

    Shows what percentage of the recommended daily value of vitamins and minerals are in each serving.

  • 5_tcm143-44680.jpg

    Daily Values:

    Explains the percentage of Recommended Daily Values each
    nutrient provides.

  • 6_tcm143-44681.jpg

    Ingredient List:

    Appears below the Nutrition Facts Panel and lists all
    ingredients in the product in order by weight, with the
    heaviest ingredients coming first. Ingredients are what
    supply the nutrients and provide other product attributes
    such as texture, etc.

    Check out PediaSure products, which contain essential
    vitamins and minerals to help promote child growth and development.

Nutrition label example Nutrition label example Nutrition label example

Source: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/eat-right/nutrition-facts.htm. Accessed 08/06/15.