Quality & Labels
A plain guide to reading a packaged food label: serving size, percent Daily Value, added sugar, sodium, fiber, live cultures, allergens and what front-of-package claims can and cannot tell you.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Natural products can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read functional food safety before you use anything on this page.
Start here
A food label is a set of facts printed next to a set of marketing claims. The facts (Nutrition Facts, ingredient list, allergen statement) follow rules. The claims on the front vary a lot in what they actually tell you. This page is the overview. It describes U.S. rules unless it says otherwise, and it is information only. A registered dietitian or clinician can say what suits a particular person. We read no Canadian, EU or other national label rules for this page, so those are not described here.
Serving size comes first
The Nutrition Facts numbers all refer to one serving. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says the serving size reflects the amount people typically eat or drink, not a recommendation. [1] If you eat two servings, the calories, nutrients and percent Daily Values all double. Some larger packages carry a "dual column" label showing both per serving and per package. [1]
Percent Daily Value in one line
The percent Daily Value (%DV) shows how much a nutrient in one serving contributes to a total daily diet. As a general guide, 5% DV or less per serving is considered low and 20% DV or more is considered high. [1] FDA lists saturated fat, sodium and added sugars as nutrients to get less of, and dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium as nutrients to get more of. [1]
What each part of the label tells you
| Label part | What it tells you | What it does not tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Serving size | The amount all the numbers are based on | How much you should eat |
| Total sugars and added sugars | Added sugars are listed separately from sugars naturally in milk or fruit [2] | Whether a sweetened version suits your needs. See added sugars, sodium and saturated fat |
| Dietary fiber | Grams per serving; FDA's Daily Value is 28 g [3] | Which fiber it is, or whether a "whole grain" claim is true. See fiber and whole grain claims |
| Ingredient list | Ingredients listed from highest to lowest percentage of the final product [4] | Exactly how much of each ingredient is in it |
| Allergen statement | The source of any of the nine major U.S. allergens [5] | Whether the food is safe for you if you react to something not on that list |
| "Live and active cultures" or "probiotic" | That microbes may be present | Which strain, how many, or any benefit. See probiotic claims on food labels |
Three kinds of claims
FDA describes three categories of claims defined by law or regulation: health claims, nutrient content claims and structure/function claims. [6]
- Nutrient content claims describe the amount of a nutrient, with terms such as free, high and low. [6] For example, "high" or "excellent source" means 20% or more of the Daily Value per reference amount customarily consumed, and "good source" means 10 to 19%. [7]
- Health claims link a food substance to reduced risk of a disease. FDA says a statement about dietary patterns or general food groups, such as fruits and vegetables, is dietary guidance rather than a health claim. [6]
- Structure/function claims describe a role in normal body structure or function. FDA does not require conventional food makers to notify FDA about them. [6]
A systematic review of 26 studies found that reading the Nutrition Facts label was associated with healthier diets, but the results were inconsistent, and evidence on ingredient lists and front-of-pack labels was insufficient. It also found that using health-related claims may be linked with poorer diets, though that evidence was inconclusive. [8] These are mostly cross-sectional studies, so they show association rather than cause.
Fortification and the word "added"
A claim that a food is "fortified", "enriched" or "added" with a nutrient has its own FDA rule: the food must contain at least 10 percent more of the Daily Value than a reference food, and the label must name that reference food. [7] See fortified foods.
Allergens
FDA names nine major allergens in the U.S.: milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and, since January 1, 2023, sesame. [5] The source must appear in parentheses after the ingredient or in a "Contains" statement next to the ingredient list. [5] Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat after eating. See food allergy basics.
Where to go next
Compare packaged foods with a checklist · Claim checks · Functional food safety
Frequently asked questions
What does 20% DV mean on a label?
It means one serving provides 20% or more of the Daily Value for that nutrient, which FDA treats as high. [1] Whether high is good depends on the nutrient: high fiber is generally welcome, while high sodium is something FDA lists as a nutrient to get less of. [1]
Are total sugars the same as added sugars?
No. Total sugars include sugars naturally in milk and fruit plus any added sugars. [2] The label shows added sugars as a separate line.
Does a front-of-package claim mean the food is healthier?
Not by itself. A systematic review found that health-related claims may be linked with poorer diets, although the evidence was inconclusive. [8] Read the Nutrition Facts and ingredient list too.
Does "live and active cultures" mean a food is a probiotic?
No. An expert panel said "fermented food" and "probiotic" cannot be used interchangeably, and that manufacturers should say only "live and active cultures" when microbes are present at expected levels. [9]
Do these rules apply outside the United States?
We did not read other countries' rules for this page. The NHS describes a different UK format, with nutrition per 100 grams and optional red, amber and green colors on the front. [10]
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label. Page content current as of 03/05/2024. Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label. Page content current as of 03/04/2026. Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels. Read 2026-10-23.
- USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Labeling Organic Products. Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Allergies. Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Label Claims for Conventional Foods and Dietary Supplements. Page content current as of 03/28/2024. Read 2026-10-23.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 21 CFR 101.54, Nutrient content claims for "good source," "high," "more," and "high potency": eCFR. Read 2026-10-23.
- Anastasiou K et al. The relationship between food label use and dietary intake in adults: A systematic review. Appetite 2019. PMID 31010704 (abstract). Read 2026-10-23.
- Marco ML et al. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on fermented foods. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021. PMID 33398112; full text read at PMC7925329. Read 2026-10-23.
- NHS (UK), How to read food labels. Page last reviewed 30 June 2026. Read 2026-10-23.