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Kitchn: I’m a Registered Dietitian, and These Are the Only Things I Look for on Nutrition Facts Labels

Nutrition Facts labels on a food package, highlighting serving size, calories, and nutrient information.

By North Street Dev

January 24th, 2025

How to Read Nutrition Facts Labels: A Comprehensive Guide

In her first monthly contribution to Kitchn, Registered Dietitian Maya Feller explains how understanding how to read Nutrition Facts labels is essential for making informed food choices that align with your wellness goals. 

These labels provide critical information about the nutritional content of packaged foods, including calories, serving sizes, macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Whether you’re managing a chronic condition or simply striving for a balanced pattern of eating, knowing how to decode these labels can empower you to make choices that support your health and well-being. 

Here are three key takeaways to help you better navigate nutrition labels:

Key Takeaways:

  • Check Serving Sizes and Calories: Start by looking at the serving size and the total number of servings per package. All nutritional information provided is based on a single serving, so if you consume more than one serving, you’ll need to adjust the calorie and nutrient values accordingly.
  • Focus on Nutrient Density: Prioritize foods rich in nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals, while minimizing saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium. Aiming for nutrient-dense foods can support your overall health and help manage specific health conditions.
  • Understand % Daily Value (%DV): The %DV helps you determine if a food is high or low in a particular nutrient. A value of 5% or less is considered low, while 20% or more is high. This can be a useful tool for comparing products and making choices that align with your nutritional needs.
Fad or Fact with Maya Feller, RD

Why Nutrition Facts Labels Are Confusing for Many Shoppers

Here’s the kicker: Nutrition fact labels can be super hard to read and confusing to understand for the average shopper. In fact, many of my patients at Maya Feller Nutrition often say they don’t know how to navigate the label claims on the front of packaged goods, much less understand the back where the actual nutrition facts panel lives. So what is a person to do if they can’t make heads or tails of the road map that gives us insight into our packaged food?

Read the full article by Maya on Kitchn.com