The nutrition facts panel has two parts:
The main section contains product-specific information. The bottom footnote provides general information about certain nutrients.

Be aware of the serving size:
Compare the serving size to how much you actually eat. The size of the serving on the food package influences all the nutrient amounts listed on the top part of the label.

Look at calories and their sources:
Calories provide a measure of how much energy you get from a serving of this food. The label tells you how many calories per serving and how many of these from fat. Trans fats will be listed on food labels by 2006.

Nutrients listed on the label:
Look at the top section in the sample nutrition label. It shows nutrients that are important for your health and separates them into two main groups: those to limit and those important to health.

The nutrients listed first are the ones Americans generally eat in adequate amounts, or even too much. Eating too much fat, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol, or sodium may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases, like heart disease, some cancers, or high blood pressure. Eating too many calories is linked to overweight and obesity.

Americans often don't get enough dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron in their diets. Eating enough of these nutrients can improve your health and help reduce the risk of some diseases and conditions. For example, getting enough calcium can reduce the risk of osteoporosis, in which bones become brittle and break as one ages.

Percent Daily Value tells you whether the nutrients in a serving of food contribute a lot or a little to your total daily diet. Percent daily values are based on recommendations for a 2,000 calorie diet. You can use the %DV as a frame of reference. Try to limit your total daily intake of fat, saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol to less than 100%DV. Try to get 100% of essential nutrients like calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C as well as other components such as dietary fiber. Here's a general guideline: 5%DV or less is low and 20%DV or more is high.

The footnote: The footnote shows general dietary advice for all Americans.

Many food labels have nutrition claims. The FDA has specific definitions for these:

• Free: Contains none or only negligible amounts of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugar, and/or calories.
• Low Fat: 3 gm or fewer per serving.
• Lower Saturated Fat: No more than 1 gm/serving.
• Low Sodium: Fewer than 140 mg per serving.
• Very Low Sodium: Fewer than 35 mg/serving.
• Low Cholesterol: Fewer than 20 mg/serving.
• Low Calorie: 40 calories or fewer per serving.
• Lean: Fewer than 10 gm fat. Fewer than 4 gm saturated fat, and fewer than 95 mg cholesterol per serving.
• Extra Lean: Fewer than 5 mg of fat, fewer than 2 9 saturated fat, and fewer than 95 mg cholesterol per serving.
• High: Contains 20% or more of daily value for a particular nutrient.
• Reduced: Products has been nutritionally altered and contains 25% less of a nutrient.
• Less: Food contains 25% less of a nutrient than a comparable food. For example, pretzels contain 25% less fat than potato chips.
• Light: a) Calories have been reduced by at least a third, b) Sodium content of a food reduced by at least 50%, and c) refer to texture and/or a color as long as it is spelled out. Note: When applied to a meal a main dish, light means the dish is low in fat or calories.
• % Fat Free: Used only on foods that are low fat. Fat free to begin with, reflect the amount of the foods weight that is fat free.

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