2.5: Food Labels

The Labels on Your Food

Understanding the significance of the Dietary Guidelines and how to use DRIs in planning your nutrient intake can make you better equipped to select the right foods the next time you go to the supermarket.

In the United States, the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, passed in 1990, was most recently updated in 2021. As a result, all packaged foods sold in the United States must have nutrition labels that accurately reflect the contents of the food products. There are several mandated nutrients and some optional ones that manufacturers or packagers include. Nutrients in the category of mandatory inclusion are total Calories, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, total sugars, added sugars, Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium. Nutrients in the optional inclusion category are Calories from saturated fats, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, sugar alcohol, and other essential vitamins and minerals.¹

Other types of information are required by law to appear somewhere on the consumer packaging. They include²

• Name and address of the manufacturer, packager, or distributor
• Statement of identity, what the product actually is
• Net contents of the package: weight, volume, measure, or numerical count
• Ingredients, listed in descending order by weight
• Nutrient information on serving size and daily values

The Nutrition Facts panel provides a wealth of information about the nutritional content of the product. The information also allows shoppers to compare products. Because the serving sizes are included on the label, you can see how much of each nutrient is in each serving to make the comparisons. Knowing how to read the label is important because of the way some foods are presented. For example, a bag of peanuts at the grocery store may seem like a healthy snack on the way to class. But have a look at that label. Does it contain one serving or multiple servings? Unless you are buying the individual serving packages, chances are the bag you picked up is at least 8 servings, if not more.

Interactive Link: The Food Label and You

The FDA has prepared an Interactive Food Label packed with helpful information.³ 

Reading the Nutrition Facts Panel on a Food Label

1. The first part of the Nutrition Facts panel provides information on serving size and the number of servings in the container. For example, a label on a box of crackers might tell you that twenty crackers equal one serving and that the whole box contains 10 servings. All other values listed after that are based on this one serving.
2. On the panel, the serving size is followed by the number of Calories for one serving. If you eat more than one serving, multiply or divide as needed.
3. Certain nutrients on the nutrition facts panel are mandatory and based on current scientific research on their connections to health and wellness. Manufacturers have the option to add additional nutrients, such as a cereal company that wants to provide more details on the types of fiber the cereal supplies.
4. Percent Daily Value” on the far right-hand side of the nutrition facts panel helps you determine if the food is a low or high source of a particular nutrient. The percentage of Daily Value (percent DV) represents the proportion of the total daily recommended amount you will get from one serving of the food on a 2000-Calorie diet. Generally, a percent DV of 5 is considered low, and a percent DV of 20 is considered high. This means, as a general rule, for fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, or sodium, look for foods with a low percent DV. Alternatively, when concentrating on fiber, vitamins, or minerals, look for a high-percent DV. Using this label, one serving is considered a high source of calcium (25% of the DV), but also a high source of sodium (37%). For example, in the food label in Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\), the percent DV of calcium for one serving of lasagna is 25%, which means that one serving of lasagna provides 25% of the daily recommended calcium intake. Because the DV for calcium is 1300 milligrams, the food producer determined the percent DV for calcium by dividing the calcium content in milligrams in each serving by 1300 milligrams and multiplying it by 100 to get it into percentage format. Be thankful they did all the math for you! Whether you consume 2,000 Calories daily or not, you can still use the percent DV as a general target.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Sample label for lasagna.⁴ 

Nutrient Claims on Labels

In addition to mandating nutrients and ingredients that must appear on food labels, any nutrient-content claims must meet certain requirements. For example, a manufacturer cannot claim that a food is fat-free or low-fat if it is not, in reality, fat-free or low-fat. Low-fat indicates that the product has three or fewer grams of fat, and low sodium indicates fewer than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving. The FDA does not have a definition for low sugar, although a sugar-free food can have up to 0.5 grams of sugar per serving.⁵ A food claimed as lean means there are fewer than a set amount of grams of fat for that particular cut of meat. A food that claims to be a high source of a nutrient contains more than 20% of the nutrient's daily value per serving. A good source claim on a label means a serving of that food contains 10 to 19% of the nutrient's daily value. If a food promotes a claim of light or lite, it is defined as containing one-third fewer Calories or 50% less fat. If more than half the Calories come from fat, then the fat content must be reduced by 50% or more.⁶

Health Claims on Labels

Often, we hear news of a particular nutrient or food product that contributes to our health or may prevent disease. A health claim is a statement that links a particular food with a reduced risk of developing disease. As such, health claims such as “reduces heart disease” must be evaluated by the FDA before they appear on packaging. All health claims must be substantiated by scientific evidence to be approved and put on a food label. To avoid companies making false claims, laws also regulate how health claims are presented on food packaging. In addition to the claim being backed up by scientific evidence, it may never claim to cure or treat the disease. Here is an example of a health claim related to sodium. First, the food serving must be low in sodium, defined as <140 mg per serving, and the allowed health claim would be stated as "Diets low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, a disease associated with many factors." Here is a detailed list of approved health claims.⁶

Structure/Function Claims on Labels

Some companies claim that certain foods and nutrients have health benefits even though no scientific evidence exists. In these cases, food labels are permitted to claim that you may benefit from the food because it may boost your immune system, for example. There may not be claims of a diagnosis, cure, treatment, or disease prevention, and there must be a disclaimer that the FDA has not evaluated the claim.⁷

Trending Label Claims on Food Labels

As a science, the field of nutrition is constantly growing and updating with research. Here are examples of the status of some popular health claims on labels.

The claim that a food is healthy requires that it must be low-fat, low in saturated fat and cholesterol, contain less than 480 milligrams sodium, and provide at least 10% of the daily value for vitamins A, C, calcium, iron, protein, or fiber. The current definition is being discussed to better align with the updated Dietary Guidelines and food groups.⁸

The claim of natural means "nothing artificial or synthetic (including all color additives regardless of source) has been included in, or has been added to, a food that would not normally be expected to be in that food."⁹ The FDA did not include requirements related to pesticides or processing methods or any nutrition or health benefits in the natural claim definition.

Currently, the FDA has no legal definition for functional food as most foods serve a function such as carbohydrate providing energy, although it does monitor the marketing claims on food labels. However, the phrase functional food is often used to describe a food's value beyond basic nutrition, such as promoting the benefits of the plant pigments in fruits and vegetables. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics defines functional foods as "Foods defined as whole foods along with fortified, enriched, or enhanced foods that have a potentially beneficial effect on health when consumed as part of a varied diet on a regular basis at effective levels."¹⁰

Foods can be labeled gluten-free if they do NOT contain "an ingredient that is any type of wheat, rye, barley, or crossbreeds of these grains, an ingredient derived from these grains and that has not been processed to remove gluten, or an ingredient derived from these grains that has been processed to remove gluten, if it results in the food containing 20 or more ppm gluten."¹¹

USDA guidance includes multiple levels of organic labeling. To qualify for the organic label certification, a food must be "produced according to the USDA organic standards," and the production "methods [must] integrate cultural, biological and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation and genetic engineering may not be used."¹² Refer to Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\) for more details.

 

Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): Organic Labels Explained¹³. USDA. Accessed July 28, 2023. 

Allergy Warnings on Labels

The FDA requires food manufacturers to list on their packages whether the product contains any of the 9 most common ingredients that cause food allergies. These 9 common allergens are as follows: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, sesame, and wheat. The FDA does not require warnings that cross-contamination may occur during packaging. However, most manufacturers include this advisory as a courtesy. For instance, you may notice a label that states, “This product is manufactured in a factory that also processes peanuts.” If you have food allergies, it is best to avoid products that may have been contaminated with the allergen. More information on food allergies is available in an upcoming chapter.

Dates on Labels

Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\) Dates on Labels¹⁴

Attributions

• Zimmerman, "An Introduction to Nutrition (Zimmerman)," CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. The original material was reorganized and updated. New figures were added. New references were added.

References

1. "Behind the label" with FDA: Information for Educators on the Updated Nutrition Facts Label. US Food & Drug Administration. Updated February 2, 2022. Accessed July 30, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/food/health-educators/behind-label-fda-information-educators-updated-nutrition-facts-label.
2. Food Labeling & Nutrition. US Food & Drug Administration. fda.gov. Updated August 16, 2023. Accessed August 3, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition.
3. Interactive Nutrition Facts Label. US Food & Drug Administration. fda.gov. Accessed August 4, 2023. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/InteractiveNutritionFactsLabel/.
4. Sample Label for Lasagna. US Food & Drug Administration. fda.gov. Updated February 25, 2022. Accessed August 5, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label#:~:text=It%2520shows%2520you%2520some%2520key,%252C%2520Sodium%252C%2520and%2520Added%2520Sugars.
5. US Food & Drug Administration. Food Labeling Guide Appendix B: Additional Requirements for Nutritional Content Claims. fda.gov. Published January 2013. Accessed August 2, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/media/81606/download.
6. US Food & Drug Administration. Food Labeling Guide. fda.gov. Published January 2013. Accessed July 28, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/media/81606/download.
7. Label Claims for Conventional Foods and Dietary Supplements. US Food & Drug Administration. fda.gov. Updated March 28, 2024. Accessed June 30, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/label-claims-conventional-foods-and-dietary-supplements.
8. US Food & Drug Administration. Use of the Term Healthy on Food Labeling. fda.gov. Updated October 7, 2022. Accessed July 28, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/use-term-healthy-food-labeling.
9. US Food & Drug Administration. Use of the Term Natural on Food Labeling. fda.gov. Updated October 22, 2018. Accessed July 28, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/use-term-natural-food-labeling.
10. Litwin N, Clifford J, Johnson S. Functional Foods for Health--9.391. Colorado State University Extension. Published March 2018. Accessed July 22, 2023. https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/nutrition-food-safety-health/functional-foods-for-health-9-391/.
11. US Food & Drug Administration. 'Gluten-Free' Means What it Says. fda.gov. Updated May 4, 2023. Accessed July 28, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/gluten-free-means-what-it-says.
12. USDA Certified Organic: Understanding the Basics. US Department of Agriculture. Accessed July 28, 2023. https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/organic-certification/organic-basics.
13. Organic Labels Explained. US Department of Agriculture. Published April 2018. Accessed July 28, 2023. https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/OrganicLabelsExplained.png.
14. Confused About What the Date Labels on Food Packages Mean? US Food & Drug Administration. Accessed July 30, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/media/138233/download?attachment.