Spaghetti night? Looking to grab a quick pasta sauce from the grocery store, but feeling overwhelmed at the number of options? This happens very often, not just with sauces, but several items in a typical grocery store. In this article, we will share strategies for reading a nutrition label and what things to look for when picking the most nutritious options.

A nutrition label can be broken down into 4 sections: the serving size, calories, nutrients, and daily value.

1. Serving Size
Perhaps the most overlooked part of a nutrition label is the serving size. The serving size is the first thing listed on a nutrition label and gives information such as:
● The amount of the product the nutrition facts are based on.
● How many serving sizes are in a package/container.
● The amount of a product typically used.
The serving size is the key part of the nutrition label because it gives us information on how to inspect the rest of the label. For example, if the serving size of a product is ½ cup but you typically consume 1 cup, this allows you to double each nutrient for an accurate reading of what your intake would be.

2. Calories
The calories section of a label represents the amount of energy available in the serving size of a product. The number of calories needed for a healthy lifestyle is different for each person and can be calculated using age, activity level, etc.

3. Daily Value
The daily value section is on the far-right side of the label and gives us information about the amount of each nutrient in the food. It is given in percentages which represent the amount of our recommended daily nutrient that is in the food. A helpful way to analyze this section is:
– 5% or less = low amount of that nutrient
– 20% or higher = high amount of that nutrient

4. Nutrients
The nutrients section of a nutrition label is the biggest section and the one with the most information about the product. It can be a little overwhelming, but here are some key things to look for:

– Fat:
o Most nutrition labels separate fat into different subcategories like saturated fat and unsaturated fat.
o The USDA recommends that we keep saturated fat low and unsaturated fat high.

– Sodium:
o Sodium is another nutrient to look for on labels, we generally want to keep this nutrient low.
o We can also use our daily value percentages to tell if the product is high/low in sodium.

– Added Sugars:
o Found under the bolded Carbohydrate section on a label, added sugars is something we want to limit in our products.
o Look for options with no or little added sugars.

– Protein:
o Protein is an important part of our diet for many reasons – including repairing and building your body’s muscles and tissues, providing energy, and aiding in immunity.
o Look for higher protein options when possible!

Additional Resource:
How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label | FDA