How to Read a Food Label

Are you ever standing in the grocery store aisle, overwhelmed by all the choices? Deciding what's best for a healthy diet and lifestyle can be tough without knowing how to read food labels.

With so much information on these tiny packages of food, it can be overwhelming - but don't worry! In this article, we'll guide you through understanding what all those numbers and symbols mean on your food packaging so that next time you're feeling lost with that big supermarket shelf, you'll know exactly how to make the right decision for your goals.

Why Are Food Labels Important?

When was the last time you read the nutritional facts and ingredients list on the back of a food package? It's easy to overlook these labels, but they are essential for making informed decisions about the food we eat.

Before the 1900s, there were no food production and labeling regulations.  Consumers had no way of knowing what they were eating or if the food was safe. 

This all changed when Upton Sinclair wrote "The Jungle," a novel exposing meatpacking plants' unsanitary and inhumane conditions in 1906.  This book and other food contamination scandals led to the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, which required specific labeling of food and drugs. This marked the beginning of food labeling in the US.

Since then, food labeling has continued to evolve. In 1990, Congress passed the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA), requiring food manufacturers to include specific nutrition facts on their products. 

These include the number of calories, serving size, and amounts of macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat, protein) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). This information helps consumers make informed choices about eating and maintaining a healthy diet.

Food labels also help consumers avoid allergens and other ingredients and choose foods they may be sensitive to. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) requires manufacturers to label the top eight allergens (milk, eggs, soy, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish) on their products. This is crucial for people with allergies to avoid potentially life-threatening allergic reactions.

In addition to FALCPA, the USDA requires transparency in labeling genetically modified foods (GMOs). In 2016, the USDA mandated that food manufacturers label GMO ingredients. This is important for people who want to know what they're eating and make informed choices about the impact of their food choices on the environment.

Furthermore, food labeling plays an essential role in consumer safety regarding food-borne illnesses. The labels show expiration dates and storage information, and manufacturers need to include any warnings necessary if a product might pose a risk to consumers' health and could include things like allergies, choking hazards, or potential bacterial contamination.

While food labels were created with consumer safety in mind, they aren't exactly consumer friendly. However, food labels are important for making informed decisions about what we eat. 

By taking the time to read food labels, we can make conscious choices for our health and safety. With a little knowledge and practice, you can quickly become skilled at reading food labels.

What Food Labels are Legally Required?

Food labels are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA requires food manufacturers to include certain information on all labels. This information includes:

Name of the Product

The first piece of information that's legally required is the name of the food and beverage product itself. It's crucial for manufacturers to accurately identify the product to eliminate any confusion or mix-up. 

The name should be clearly visible and not misleading. For instance, a fruit juice that contains only 5% real juice cannot be marketed as a "100% natural juice."

List of Ingredients

Another requirement is the list of ingredients. The list must be in descending order of predominance by weight, meaning the ingredient that weighs the most should be at the top of the list. 

Manufacturers should also use common names instead of scientific names, so consumers can easily understand what's inside the product. Anything that might cause an allergic reaction to some people must be identified as well.

Net Weight/Volume

The net weight/volume is also a mandatory piece of information that manufacturers must include on the package. The amount of food in the package can affect the product's price. Therefore, it's essential to include accurate measurements.

This way, consumers can compare the price of one brand to another to make informed decisions about the product.

Nutrition Facts Panel

One of the most important requirements is the nutrition facts panel. This panel gives consumers the necessary information about the food product's nutritional content, such as the number of calories, fat, and sugar in a serving. 

The panel should be placed in the right corner of the package, making it easy to read. This way, people can make informed choices about what they eat and help them maintain a healthy diet.

Manufacturer's Address/Allergen Warning

Finally, the manufacturer's address and allergen warning must be present on the product. The manufacturer's address helps consumers contact the company if they have any issues or concerns. The allergen warning is critical for people with food allergies because it alerts them of any ingredients that might cause a reaction.

How to Read the Nutrition Facts Label

Learning to read the nutrition facts label can help you make informed food choices. This label provides information on calories, fat content, and other important nutrients in a single serving of the food product. Here are some tips for reading labels effectively:

• Understand the difference between a serving size and a portion size: A portion size is the amount of food that you actually eat, while a serving size is a standard measurement used on nutrition labels to help consumers compare nutrition labels across brands. The serving size does not always indicate how much people typically eat or should eat.

• Check Calories: The next step is to look at the number of calories per serving. This will give you an indication of how much energy this food provides.

• Compare Nutrients: The label will tell you how much fat, protein, carbohydrates, and other key nutrients are in each serving. Comparing different products can help you choose healthier foods.

What is Legally Required on a Nutrition Facts Label?

As of 2021, the FDA requires all food and beverage products to include their updated version of the Nutrition Facts label. This updated nutrition facts label includes nutrition information only about the following items:

• Serving size – The serving sizes should be listed in common household measures, such as cups or tablespoons.

• Calories – This section tells you how many calories are in one serving of the product.

• Total fat – It includes the amount of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol in a product.

• Sodium – It is the amount of salt in a single serving.

• Total sugars and carbohydrates – This section tells you how much sugar, dietary fiber, and other carbohydrates are in a product.

• Added sugars – This section tells you how much sugar has been added to the product compared to naturally occurring sugars.

• Protein – It includes the amount of protein in one serving.

• Vitamins and minerals – This section lists the amount of key vitamins and minerals (such as vitamin A, calcium, and iron) in one serving.

• Percent Daily Value (% DV) – The % DV helps you understand how much of each nutrient there is in a single serving compared to an average person’s recommended daily intake.

Understanding percent Daily Value (% DV)

Now that you know what's on the label, let's talk about how to understand it. The percent Daily Value (% DV) listed on the label can be a helpful tool to determine whether a food is high or low in certain nutrients. 

This percentage is calculated based on a 2,000-calorie diet and is a rough estimate of how much of a nutrient a serving of the food provides compared to the daily recommended intake. If the % DV is 5% or less, that food is considered low in that nutrient; if it's 20% or more, it's considered high. 

What is the 5/20 rule?

The 5/20 rule is a helpful guideline to simplify the % DV. It's easy to remember: if a food has 5% or less of a nutrient, it's considered low, and if it has 20% or more, it's considered high. 

For example, if a granola bar has 10% of the daily recommended value for fiber, it's a good source of dietary fiber. If it has 25% of the daily recommended value for iron, it's a high source of iron. 

Remember that this rule applies to "nutrients to limit," such as saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, as well as "nutrients to get enough of," such as dietary fiber, vitamin D, and calcium. 

Understanding the Ingredient List

The ingredient list is a key requirement for packaged food. It provides valuable information about the components of a food product. Ingredients must be listed in descending order of predominance by weight, with the most significant ingredient listed first. 

Common names should be used to facilitate consumer understanding. Additionally, the product must clearly identify potential allergens to help consumers make informed choices and avoid allergic reactions.

Nutrient content claims

Nutrient content claims are statements that food manufacturers put on their products to inform consumers about the nutritional value of a particular food or item.

These claims generally focus on specific nutrients such as fat, sodium, and fiber content of packaged foods. Since the FDA has strict guidelines for what can be labeled a “healthy food” item, nutrient content claims are a way for food manufacturers to highlight the beneficial nutritional components of their product.

Examples of nutrient content claims include:

• “Low-fat” indicates the product contains 3 grams or less of fat per serving.

• “Light” indicates the product has one-third fewer calories than the regular version of the product.

• “High in fiber” indicates that the product contains five or more grams of fiber per serving.

These claims can help consumers make better-informed food purchasing decisions. Still, it's important to read the full nutrition facts label to get an accurate picture of what you're consuming.

The FDA labels and their definitions can be found in Appendix A of the FDA Food Labeling Guide.

Marketing Food Labels

In addition to the FDA's labeling requirements, food companies may use marketing labels such as ”all-natural,” "organic," and “non-GMO.”

These voluntary claims that manufacturers can make to promote their products are not regulated by the FDA. Since they are not regulated, reading the label carefully and looking for scientific evidence to support the health claims is essential.

These labels are often used as a marketing tool and may lead consumers to believe they are healthier than other products without such labeling. Therefore, it is up to the consumer to decide if these types of claims are meaningful or just an attempt by manufacturers to capture consumer attention.

Some examples of marketing claims that may be seen on food labels include:

• "All natural" indicates the product is free from artificial ingredients or preservatives.

• "Organic" indicates that the product is produced with organic farming practices and contains 95% organic ingredients.

• "Non-GMO" indicates that the product does not contain any genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

• "Free-From" indicates the product does not contain certain ingredients. These labels range from "gluten-free" to "no added preservatives."

Many other marketing food labels such as grass-fed, cage-free, fair-trade, Keto-approved, and vegan-friendly can exist. While these labels may be helpful in narrowing down food choices, it is important to remember that claims such as these do not indicate if a product is healthy or not, they just provide information about the ingredients and production methods used.

Decoding Sell-by, Best-by, and Use-by Dates

In addition to the nutrition facts panel, food labels also provide important details about product expiration and storage. Here's what you need to know about sell-by, best-by, and use-by dates:

• Sell-by Date: This indicates the last day retailers should sell the product. Consuming the product after this date is generally safe if stored properly.

• Best-by Date: This date suggests when the product will be at its best quality or flavor. While consuming the product after this date doesn't necessarily mean it's unsafe; the quality may deteriorate.

• Use-by Date: This date indicates the last day recommended for using the product at its peak quality and safety. Pay close attention to use-by dates, particularly for perishable items like meat and dairy products.

These dates serve as guidelines to ensure product freshness and safety. However, it's important to exercise common sense and trust your senses (smell, appearance, taste) when evaluating the quality of a product.

Understanding nutrition labels can help you make healthier food choices. Still, it is important to remember to look at the entire label in order to get an accurate picture of the product’s nutritional content. By comparing different products, using the 5/20 rule, and paying attention to any nutrient content or marketing claims, you can make more informed and healthier choices about the foods you eat.

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