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Food Labeling
URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/foodlabeling.html

Food Labeling

Also called: Nutrition labeling
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Summary

All packaged foods and beverages in the United States have food labels. These "Nutrition Facts" labels can help you make smarter food choices and eat a healthy diet.

Before you read the food label, you should know a few things:

  • Serving size is based on how much people usually eat and drink at one time
  • Number of servings tells you how many servings are in the container. Some labels will give you information about calories and nutrients for both the whole package and each serving size. But many labels just tell you that information for each serving size. You need to think about the serving size when you decide how much to eat or drink. For example, if a bottle of juice has two servings and you drink the whole bottle, then you are getting twice the amount of sugar that is listed on the label.
  • Percent daily value (%DV) is a number that helps you understand how much of a nutrient is in one serving. Experts recommend that you get a certain amount of different nutrients daily. %DV tells you what percentage of the daily recommendation you get from one serving of a food. With this, you can figure out if a food is high or low in a nutrient: 5% or less is low, 20% or more is high.

The information on a food label can help you see how a certain food or drink fits into your overall diet. The label lists, per serving,:

  • The number of calories
  • Fats, including total fat, saturated fat, and trans fat
  • Cholesterol
  • Sodium
  • Carbohydrates, including fiber, total sugar, and added sugar
  • Protein
  • Vitamins and minerals

Food and Drug Administration

Start Here

  • Figuring Out Food Labels (Nemours Foundation)
  • Use the Nutrition Facts Label From the National Institutes of Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Related Issues

  • Additives In Meat and Poultry Products (Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service)
  • Milk and Plant-Based Milk Alternatives: Know the Nutrient Difference (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
  • Nutrition Facts for Cooked Seafood (Food and Drug Administration) - PDF
  • Nutrition Facts for Raw Fruits (Food and Drug Administration) - PDF
  • Nutrition Facts for Raw Vegetables (Food and Drug Administration) - PDF

Specifics

  • Food Product Dating (Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service)
  • Fresh Take on What "Healthy" Means on Food Packages Video (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
  • Gluten-Free Labeling of Foods (Food and Drug Administration)
  • Have Food Allergies? Read the Label (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
  • Meat and Poultry Labeling Terms (Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service)
  • Natural Flavorings on Meat and Poultry Labels (Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service)

Clinical Trials

  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Food Labeling From the National Institutes of Health (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

  • Article: Food label literacy among Malaysian school adolescents: A prevalence study.
  • Article: Inaccurate labelling practices in probiotic products: A regulatory shortfall in Accra,...
  • Article: Ultra-Processed Foods in the Food Supply: Prevalence, Nutritional Composition and Use...
  • Food Labeling -- see more articles

Find an Expert

  • Food and Drug Administration
  • Food and Nutrition Information Center

Children

  • Figuring Out Food Labels (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation)
  • From the Label to the Table! From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)
  • Nutrition Facts -- Read the Label: Tips for Parents Infographic (Food and Drug Administration) - PDF Also in Spanish

Teenagers

  • Understanding Food Labels (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)

Older Adults

  • How to Read Food and Beverage Labels From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute on Aging)
  • Using the Nutrition Facts Label: For Older Adults (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

  • How to read food labels (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Nutrition Facts for Cooked Seafood (Food and Drug Administration) - PDF
  • Nutrition Facts for Raw Fruits (Food and Drug Administration) - PDF
  • Nutrition Facts for Raw Vegetables (Food and Drug Administration) - PDF

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Food Labeling

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

  • Food labeling
  • How to read food labels

Related Health Topics

  • Food Safety
  • Nutrition

Disclaimers

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The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.

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Last updated December 7, 2018
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