The nutrition label is the most honest part of any package. The front is marketing; the back is data. Once you know where to look, it takes about ten seconds to understand what a food really gives you.
Start with the serving size
Every number on a US-style label is for one serving, and the serving is often smaller than what people actually eat. A bag of granola might list a serving as 2/3 cup (about 55 g). If you pour a full cup, you eat about 1.5 servings, and every number on the label grows by 1.5.
Labels in Europe and many other countries also show values per 100 g or 100 ml. That column is the easiest way to compare two products, because the amount is always the same.
Per serving or per 100 g: which one to use?
- Per serving tells you what you get from the portion the maker suggests. Useful when you eat exactly that portion, like one yogurt cup or one bar.
- Per 100 g is best for comparing. If one cereal has 22 g of sugar per 100 g and another has 6 g, the difference is clear, whatever the serving sizes say.
To convert, divide the per-serving value by the serving weight and multiply by 100. For example, 230 kcal in a 55 g serving is about 418 kcal per 100 g.
The five lines worth checking first
- Calories. Energy for the serving. Compare with your daily needs (the Nutrition Hub calculator estimates them).
- Protein. Helps you feel full and keeps muscles strong.
- Fiber. Most adults eat far less than recommended, so higher is usually better.
- Sugars, especially added sugars. US labels list added sugars separately.
- Sodium (or salt). On European labels you’ll see salt in grams. Salt × 400 gives sodium in milligrams, so 1 g of salt is about 400 mg of sodium.
Read the ingredients list too
Ingredients are listed from most to least by weight. If sugar, syrup or refined oil appear in the first three, they make up a large part of the product. A long list of ingredients you wouldn’t use in your own kitchen, such as colors, flavorings, emulsifiers and sweeteners, often means the food is highly processed. Our article on additives and E-numbers explains these in plain words.
% Daily Value in one sentence
The % DV shows how much of a day’s typical need one serving provides. A quick rule many dietitians use: 5% or less is low, 20% or more is high.
Try it in the food diary
In the FitInFlow food diary every food shows nutrition facts per serving and per 100 g side by side. When you add a new food, you can type the values from the label into either column, or take a photo of the label and let the app fill them in for you to check.
Sources
Informational content only. Not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian about your own needs.