7 Things You Need To Know About The New Nutrition Label

77% of U.S. adults report referencing the nutrition facts label when selecting groceries. Do they know how to use it?

Calories

Calories measure units of energy provided in the product. The new label has this big and bold so you don’t miss it. While calories are an important measurment to keep in mind, they aren’t the only indicator of a good food choice. Keep reading to see what else is on the new nutrition label, and how you can use this info to inform your health choices!

% Daily Value

The Daily Value tells us how this product fits into our day (not that meal). If the product has 14% of the daily value for fiber, then we deduce that we’ll be getting about 14% of the fiber we need for that day. Everyone’s needs are different so this is an approximation, based on a 2000 calories per day eating pattern.

If you are aiming to lower saturated fat, sodium or sugar, look for products with 5% or less of the DV in those categories. 5% is the cut-off for defining “low”.

20% of the DV means that product is “high” in that nutrient, so a 25% DV of vitamin D on a label would tell you that product is high in vitamin D. Aim high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Total fat

Notice that the calories from fat is being removed from the label. This is because the type of fat we eat is more important for heart health than the total amount of fat.