How to Read a Nutrition Label: Serving Size to %DV

A Nutrition Facts label helps you understand what is in a packaged food and compare similar products. Before you begin, decide what you want to compare, such as fiber, sodium, added sugars, or calories. Labels are tools for understanding a product, not a complete guide to what any individual should eat; needs and nutrition goals vary.

What You’ll Need

The packaged food, with its Nutrition Facts label and ingredient list visible.
A second product label if you want to compare options.
A calculator or phone only if you need to scale serving amounts; basic comparisons usually require no tools.

Step-by-Step

Find the serving size. Read the amount at the top of the Nutrition Facts panel, which may be shown in familiar measures such as cups or pieces and in metric units such as grams. This is the amount used to calculate the numbers below it. It is not necessarily a recommended portion or the amount you will actually eat. If you eat twice the listed serving, you generally consume twice the listed calories and nutrients.
Check servings per container. This tells you how many listed servings the package contains. A package may hold more than one serving even if it looks like a single snack or meal. Some products have a dual-column label showing nutrition for one serving and for the entire package. Use the column that matches the amount you plan to eat.
Read calories for your actual amount. Calories are listed per serving, not automatically per package. If your portion differs, scale the number: for one and a half servings, multiply the listed calories and nutrient amounts by 1.5. For a precise comparison, use the same amount of each product; comparing a small serving of one with a large serving of another can mislead.
Look at the nutrients you want to compare. The label lists nutrients such as total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, total sugars, added sugars, protein, and certain vitamins and minerals. Which ones matter for a comparison depends on your purpose. For example, compare fiber between similar grain products, or sodium between similar packaged soups. Pay attention to units as well as numbers: milligrams and grams are different units.
Use % Daily Value as a comparison aid. The %DV shows how much a nutrient in one serving contributes to a general daily reference amount, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your needs may be higher or lower, so it is not a personalized target. As a common label-reading shortcut, 5% DV or less is considered low and 20% DV or more is considered high for a nutrient per serving. Use that guide to compare products, not as a verdict that a food is good or bad.
Distinguish sugars and fats. Total sugars include sugars naturally present in foods as well as sugars added during processing. Added sugars are shown on a separate line beneath total sugars on current U.S. labels. Saturated fat is also listed separately from total fat. These distinctions help explain what contributes to the total, but the numbers still describe only the labeled serving.
Read the ingredient list. Ingredients are generally listed in descending order by weight, so the first ingredients make up the largest amounts. Check for ingredients you are trying to identify or avoid, and review any allergen statement. The major food allergen declaration may appear in or near the ingredient list, but read the full label rather than assuming one phrase covers every concern. If an allergy is involved and the label is unclear, do not guess.
Compare like with like. Put two similar foods side by side and first check whether serving sizes match. If they do not, compare equivalent amounts by scaling the numbers. Then focus on the nutrients relevant to your comparison and check the ingredient lists. A product with a lower number in one category may have a higher number in another, so consider the whole label rather than a single line.

Common Mistakes

Assuming the package is one serving: Multiply the panel values by the servings you actually eat, unless a clearly labeled package column already gives the total.
Treating serving size as a recommendation: It is a standard reference amount for the label, not a judgment about how much you should eat.
Comparing unequal portions: Make serving amounts equivalent before deciding which product has more of a nutrient.
Reading %DV as a personal prescription: It is based on a general reference diet, not an individual assessment.
Confusing total sugars with added sugars: Read both lines. Naturally occurring sugars count toward total sugars but are not all added sugars.
Choosing by one number alone: A product can be lower in one nutrient and higher in another. Ingredients, serving size, and your comparison goal all matter.

Tips

For quick comparisons, start with serving size, then scan the %DV for the nutrients you care about.
Use the same quantity, such as the same weight or number of pieces, when comparing similar products.
Remember that %DV is a rounded reference value. Small differences may not be meaningful, especially when serving sizes differ.
Check the ingredient list even when the front of the package highlights a particular quality; front-of-package wording does not replace the full label.
Labels can look different on products such as dietary supplements, which use a different panel. Do not assume those panels follow the same format as Nutrition Facts labels.

Troubleshooting

The serving size is unfamiliar: Use the gram or milliliter amount if provided, or measure the listed household amount. For comparisons, use the same amount for both products.

The package has multiple columns: Read the headings carefully. One may show a serving and another the whole package; choose the figures that match the amount eaten.

The label is hard to read or a value seems missing: Check another panel or the manufacturer’s product information, but verify that it refers to the same product and package size. Label layouts and required details can vary by product.

You cannot tell whether an ingredient is safe for an allergy: Do not rely on a guess or on an incomplete online listing. Contact the manufacturer for clarification or choose a product with clear labeling.

Your calculated total seems inconsistent: Recheck the serving count, units, and multiplication. Nutrition values may be rounded, so scaled totals will not always match a separately printed whole-package value exactly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 5% or 20% Daily Value mean?

It is a quick guide to how much a nutrient in one serving contributes to the label’s general daily reference amount. As a rule of thumb, 5% DV or less is low and 20% DV or more is high per serving.

Is the serving size the amount I should eat?

No. It is the reference amount used to calculate the label values, not an individualized recommendation or a required portion.

How do I calculate nutrition for two servings?

Multiply each per-serving amount by two. For example, double the listed calories and nutrients; check whether the package also provides a whole-package column.

What is the difference between total sugars and added sugars?

Total sugars include both naturally occurring and added sugars. Added sugars are a subset of total sugars and have their own line on current U.S. Nutrition Facts labels.

Which ingredient is present in the largest amount?

Usually, the first ingredient by weight is present in the largest amount, followed by the next ingredients in descending order. The list does not show the exact amount of each ingredient.

Can I use the label to decide whether a food is healthy?

The label provides useful facts for comparing products, but no single number determines whether a food is right for you. Your needs and goals differ, so use the information in context.

Further reading: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Details can change, so check the official page for anything that matters to you. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. How we write an answer.