Reading Food Labels

It is important to consume the recommended amounts of each nutrient for optimal health. Below is information that can be helpful when reading food labels. Most vitamins and minerals are listed as percentages based on the RDA on food labels.

Read labels to help choose foods that make up a healthful diet. No one food can make you healthy or unhealthy. A combination of all the dietary choices you make can provide for a healthful diet.

g = grams (about 28 grams = 1 ounce)

mg = milligrams (1,000 mg = 1 g)

Helpful Tips:

Serving size:	Be sure to check the serving size and identify how many servings per container. If you consume more than one serving, adjust the totals for calories, fat, etc.
Total fat:	You can add up your total fat grams in a day. Try to choose snacks and lower calorie foods that have less than 3 grams of fat per serving. An entire meal can have as many as 10 - 15 grams of fat, depending on your total fat budget. An MDdiets fat serving is approximately 5 grams in foods where fat is the predominant value. Read more on fats.
Cholesterol:	Try to limit your total cholesterol intake to no more than 300 mg/day. If you have high cholesterol levels, reduce this limit to 200 mg/day. Read more on cholesterol.
Sodium:	Limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg/day.
Total Carbohydrates:	Your total carbohydrate intake should be about 50 - 60% of your diet, or 2.0 - 2.5 grams per pound of (desired) bodyweight. People with diabetes should follow the advice of their physician and registered dietitian.
Dietary Fiber:	Aim for 20 – 35 grams of fiber per day. A good source of fiber has 2.5 grams or more per serving.
Sugar:	Try to limit your sugar intake to 50 - 60 grams per day, or less than 10% of your total calorie intake.
Protein:	Your protein requirement is 0.8 – 1.2 g/kg bodyweight. (55 – 82 grams for a 150 lb person). Consider increasing your protein intake if you are just beginning a weight training program. Read more on protein.
Vitamins & Minerals:	Choose foods with high percentages of various vitamins and minerals. These foods are more nutrient-dense and also a good source of energy. Recommended Daily Allowances for vitamins and minerals

For total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, your daily value goal is to reach 100% of each. Remember that the percent daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie/day diet. If your calorie requirement is higher or lower than this, these percentages will not be accurate for you. You can focus on the calorie and fat totals and use your own calorie and fat guidelines to be sure you are staying in the ranges.