How to read a nutrition label, with real examples

Nutrition labels look intimidating, but you only need five lines to make most decisions.

1. Serving size — the line that changes everything

Everything below it is per serving, not per package. A bottle of iced tea that says "60 calories" but lists 2.5 servings is really 150 calories if you drink the bottle.

2. Added sugars vs total sugars

"Total sugars" includes naturally occurring ones (the lactose in yogurt, the fructose in a raisin box). "Added sugars" is what the manufacturer put in — the line health agencies actually cap (the FDA's Daily Value is 50g; many experts say less). A flavored yogurt can show 19g total / 12g added; a plain one with berries shows 12g total / 0g added. Same dairy, different label story.

3. % Daily Value: 5% is low, 20% is high

This is the fastest comparison tool on the label. Sodium at 20%+ per serving means "very salty" — a single cup of some canned soups hits 40%. Fiber at 15–20% is genuinely high — a cup of cooked lentils is around 50%. The %DV assumes a 2,000-calorie diet, but it's still a solid relative yardstick.

4. The ingredient list, in order

Ingredients are listed by weight. If sugar (or any of its aliases — cane juice, dextrose, malt syrup) is in the first three ingredients, it's a sweetened product. "Whole grain" flour as the first ingredient vs "enriched flour" tells you two completely different breads.

5. Protein: read it, don't worship it

Labels must list protein in grams. A "high protein" snack bar with 3g of protein and 21g of added sugar is a candy bar in a gym costume. Compare: plain Greek yogurt, 17g protein, 0g added sugar.

The 30-second routine: check servings → scan %DV for sodium and fiber → glance at added sugars → read the first three ingredients. You'll know more about the food than the front of the package wants you to.