Nutrition facts, also known as food labels or nutrition labels, are a standardized format for providing information about the nutritional content of packaged foods and beverages. They are typically found on the packaging of food products and are intended to help consumers make informed decisions about the foods they buy and consume.
Nutrition facts labels include information on the serving size, the number of servings per container, and the number of calories per serving. They also list the amounts of macronutrients such as total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, sugars, and protein. Additionally, they provide the daily percentage of micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals.
The nutrition facts label also includes a list of ingredients, which are listed in descending order of predominance by weight. This means that the first ingredient on the list is the ingredient that is present in the highest amount, and the last ingredient is the ingredient that is present in the least amount.
The FDA, the government agency that regulates food labeling, requires that the information on the nutrition facts label be based on the Reference Daily Intakes (RDI) or the Daily Reference Value (DRV) for specific nutrients.
It’s important to note that nutrition facts labels are a useful tool for making informed choices about food and it’s recommended to read them carefully and compare different products before making a purchase. Additionally, it’s important to keep in mind that the serving sizes on the label may not reflect the amount of food typically consumed by an individual, so it’s important to adjust the portion accordingly.
