How well can you read a food label? I’m sure you’ve heard of Serving Size and Percent Daily Value – but can you really read the label properly?
My son and I visited the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign booth in collaboration with the Food & Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC), Health Canada, Retail Council of Canada (RCC), the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG) at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, and we were put to the test.
The NFEC “Focus on the Facts” was created to help Canadians use the Nutrition Facts table (NFt) to make informed food choices by starting with the Serving Size and then looking at the Percent Daily Value (% DV).
By using the Serving Size and % DV in the NFt, consumers can choose foods that have more of the nutrients they want like fibre and calcium, and less of those they don’t want, like saturated and trans fats and sodium.
My son was quizzed on ten facts about the Nft, where he was taught how to read the table. For each correct answer, he was given a chip that we took over to play a “plinko” type game to win some prizes.
Here are some FACTS on Nutrition Labels:
FACT:
A nutrition facts table gives you information on:
- serving size
- calories
- % DV
It also gives you information on the 13 core nutrients: including fat, saturated and trans fats, sodium, fibre, sugar, and more
FACT:
Serving size is not necessarily the suggested quantity of food you should eat. The serving size tells you the quantity of food used to calculate the numbers in the nutrition facts table.
By checking a product’s serving size, you can:
- understand how much of a nutrient you are eating
- compare calories and nutrients between 2 similar packaged food products
- compare it to the amount you actually eat
FACT:
You may be eating more or less than the serving size listed in the nutrition facts table. Adjust the calories and nutrients based on how much you eat.
The percent daily value (% DV) tells you if the serving size has a little or a lot of a particular nutrient.
- 5% DV or less is a little
- 15% DV or more is a lot
Serving Size
The information in a nutrition facts table is based on the serving size. Serving size can be found at the top of the nutrition facts table.
You can use a nutrition facts table to compare the serving size to the amount of food you actually eat.
For example, the serving size of bread in a nutrition facts table could be 1 slice. But if you eat 2 slices, you need to double the amount of calories and nutrients.
How to Use Serving Size and % Daily Value
Step 1: Start with the serving size under the header, “Nutrition Facts”.
Step 2: Use the % Daily Value to see if a Serving Size has a little or a lot of a nutrient. Less than 5% DV is considered a little, more than 15% DV is a lot.
Step 3: Compare the nutrients to find your best choice. Look for foods high in protein, fiber, vitamin A, calcium, and iron, and foods low in sugar, sodium, and trans fats.
Print your own copy
ENTER TO WIN
I’m giving away a $100 grocery card! Use Rafflecopter below to enter this giveaway.
Learn more about reading Nutrition Facts, then visit Focus on the Facts for a chance to win a $300 grocery card! Link to
Learn more at Canada.ca/NutritionFacts!
83 Comments
The most challenging thing I find with the labels is the writing is to small.
I wish the dates were clearer. I learned to read the nutrition tables in school.
just reading and pronouncing the words on labels can be a challenge, I try to read them often and if I can’t say it I don’t want it
From your post I have learned about the percent daily value and how 5% DV or less is considered a little of that nutrient and 15% DV or more is considered a lot.
I learned that I should look for foods high in protein, fiber, vitamin A, calcium, and iron, and foods low in sugar, sodium, and trans fats! Thanks!
I learned to compare the chart to the portion size that I’m actually eating.
I have learned to look at what a serving size is
I learned that the daily value tells me if the serving size has a little or a lot of a particular nutrient.
I learned about serving size
I have always confused serving size with recommended serving. Thanks for clearing this up.
the fact that they can be misleading
I find it difficult to prioritize different vitamins.
I learned the understanding of the recommended serving size
I have learned the difference between serving size and recommended serving.
I hate that every label is for a different serving size! Why can’t it just be standard? lol
What is most difficult for me is comparing the numbers on the label to the amount that I should be eating. I know they have the % DV, but that is based on a 2,000-calorie diet, whereas I only eat 1,200-1,400 cal/day.
I find it difficult to compare similar products when the serving sizes are different.
I’ve learned that the serving size is not necessarily the whole package!
I find translating all the different words for similar products most difficult.
Sometimes the jargon can be hard to understand.
I don’t find food labels challenging, my biggest challenge is the list of ingredients and knowing what they all are.
I find it frustrating trying to figure out portion sizes.
I learned that less than 5% DV is considered a little, more than 15% DV is a lot.
I wish they had more details on the ingredients. For example, what are “artificial flavours”?
I wish I read the labels more. I would like to understand the how the different ingredients interact with each other.
I learned to check the serving size and to look at nutrients, too – I never get enough iron – good info. thanks!
I learned that Less than 5% DV is considered a little, more than 15% DV is a lot.
Our family has to be gluten free and most of the time it is hidden is a weird place on the packaging! Sometimes I just put it back on the self after turn the product around a few times!
I learned that Serving size is not necessarily the suggested quantity of food you should eat
I learned that Less than 5% DV is considered a little, more than 15% DV is a lot.
I learned that Less than 5% DV is considered a little, more than 15% DV is a lot.
I have learned to look for the serving size and the amount of sugar, fat, sodium and fiber in it.
I find it hard comparing when portion size is different.
I find it hard to compare because portion sizes are different and there is so much information in such a small area.
Sometimes I find it hard to understand the ingredients in food when given the complicated names. I understand everything else.
I get a bit confused when I read labels. I try to limit my fat intake. I learned to look for the serving size and the amount of sugar, fat, sodium and fiber in it.
I learned from your post what is considered a little or a lot when it comes to the daily value percentage.
I find the whole serving size thing confusing. It’s hard to relate it to how much we actually eat.
I find it annoying to have to calculate serving sizes in my head.
I find it frustrating to calculate how much i’ll eat vs what is written on the label, but being gluten free i am used to checking every label already!
I find the serving size confusing because it is not necessarily the amount that you should be eating. But I do read the labels a lot for fat & sugar content.
Sometimes it can be tricky to read the sugar facts
I learned about serving size
I find it difficult to figure out how much is how much because serving sizes are often different, especially in cereal.
I didn’t really know that 5% DV or less is considered a little of that nutrient and 15% DV or more is considered a lot.
I did not know that 5% DV or less is a little or that15% DV or more is a lot.
I learned about serving size!
I do pay more attention to serving size now. I really try mainly to eat fruits and vegetables so that I can avoid alot of this.
i learned that serving size is not always the amount of food you should eat.
I learned how to determine a serving size.