Skip to main content
          Skip to FDA Search
          Skip to in this section menu
          Skip to footer links


U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government

					Here’s how you know
          			Dot gov**The .gov means it’s official.**Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.
							      SSL**The site is secure.** The **https://** ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. 
			U.S. Food and Drug Administration
				
        Search
            Menu
							
						Search FDA
									
									Submit search 
		Featured
							Contact FDA
	                FDA Guidance Documents
	                Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts
	                Press Announcements
	                Warning Letters
	                Advisory Committees
	                En Español

					Products
            Food
							Drugs
							Medical Devices
							Radiation-Emitting Products
							Vaccines, Blood, and Biologics
							Animal and Veterinary
							Cosmetics
							Tobacco ProductsTopics
            About FDA
							Combination Products
							Regulatory Information
							Safety
							Emergency Preparedness
							International Programs
							News and Events
							Training and Continuing Education
							Inspections and Compliance
							Science and ResearchInformation For
            Consumers
	            Patients
	            Industry
	            Health Professionals
	            Federal, State and Local Officials 
 In this section:

                The Nutrition Facts Label

The Nutrition Facts Label

                        Social Media Toolkit on the Nutrition Facts Label
          What’s on the Nutrition Facts Label
          Serving Size on the Nutrition Facts Label
          Calories on the Nutrition Facts Label
          The Lows and Highs of Percent Daily Value on the Nutrition Facts Label
          Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label
          Folate and Folic Acid on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
          Using the Nutrition Facts Label and MyPlate to Make Healthier Choices
          Using the Nutrition Facts Label: For Older Adults
          How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label
          Read the Label Youth Outreach Materials Home
          Food
          Food Labeling & Nutrition
          Nutrition Education Resources & Materials
          The Nutrition Facts Label
          The Lows and Highs of Percent Daily Value on the Nutrition Facts LabelThe Nutrition Facts Label The Lows and Highs of Percent Daily Value on the Nutrition Facts Label
  
  	
    Share
    Post
    Linkedin

    Email
    PrintThe New Nutrition Facts Label
Download in PDF (340KB)

En Español (PDF: 227KB)

The **Nutrition Facts label** on packaged foods and drinks makes it easier for you to make informed choices.

Read on to learn more about **Percent Daily Value**.

Serving Size | Calories | Percent Daily Value | Added Sugars
Learn More About the New Nutrition Facts Label


Percent Daily Value Explained

The percent Daily Value (%DV) shows how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a total daily diet.

**The %DV can help you determine if a serving of food is high or low in a nutrient**.

The Daily Values are reference amounts (in grams, milligrams, or micrograms) of nutrients to consume or not to exceed each day.

Visit Daily Value and Percent Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels to learn more.


Percent Daily Value (%DV) on the New Nutrition Facts Label


Use Percent Daily Value (%DV) to Make Informed Choices

%DV can help you make informed choices about what you eat and drink.

**Compare Foods**: %DV makes it easy for you to make comparisons. Just make sure the serving sizes of each product are the same. Look at the %DV of the different nutrients and more often choose foods that contain more of the nutrients you want to get more of and less of nutrients you may want to limit.
	**Manage Dietary Trade-Offs**: You don’t have to give up a favorite food to have a healthy diet. Use %DV to make dietary trade-offs with other foods throughout the day. When a food you like is high in a nutrient you want to get less of—or low in a nutrient you want to get more of—you can balance it with foods that are low (or high) in that nutrient at other times of the day.Tip
Use %DV to determine if a serving of the food is high or low in an individual nutrient. As a general guide:

5% DV or less of a nutrient per serving is considered low.
	20% DV or more of a nutrient per serving is considered high.**More often, choose foods that are:**

Higher in dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium.
	Lower in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.


What About *Trans* Fat, Protein, and Total Sugars?

Some nutrients do not have a %DV

Protein generally has no percent Daily Value (%DV) listed on the label, so use the number of grams (g) as a guide.
	*Trans* fat and total sugars have no percent Daily Value (%DV), so use the number of grams (g) to compare and choose foods.What’s That Footnote at the Bottom?

The footnote explains how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet and that 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Daily Values in Action

Take a look at the sample label for frozen lasagna below. Is this product **HIGH** in any nutrients (over 20% DV) or **LOW** in any nutrients (under 5% DV)? Be sure to check labels when you shop to see which nutrients are **HIGH** or **LOW** in the products you buy.

**Sample Label for Frozen Lasagna**

Daily Values on the New Nutrition Facts Label - Sample Label for Frozen Lasagna


**Learn More:**

What’s on the Nutrition Facts Label
	Summary of Key Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label
	Interactive Nutrition Facts Label
	Additional FDA Nutrition Education Resources and Materials


The Nutrition Facts Label: What's in it for you?


**www.fda.gov/NutritionFactsLabel**

The New Nutrition Facts Label

                                                                                  Content current as of:
      09/27/2023
              
              
Regulated Product(s)
		 Food & BeveragesTopic(s)
			  Nutrition Label
				  				     				  				  
				  
				   
				  
				  				  LabelingThe Nutrition Facts Label

          
                        Social Media Toolkit on the Nutrition Facts Label
          What’s on the Nutrition Facts Label
          Serving Size on the Nutrition Facts Label
          Calories on the Nutrition Facts Label
          The Lows and Highs of Percent Daily Value on the Nutrition Facts Label
          Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label
          Folate and Folic Acid on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
          Using the Nutrition Facts Label and MyPlate to Make Healthier Choices
          Using the Nutrition Facts Label: For Older Adults
          How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label
          Read the Label Youth Outreach Materials
 
 Footer Links
    FDA Archive
          About FDA
          Accessibility
      Visitor Information
          Website Policies / Privacy
          No FEAR Act
          Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
      FOIA
          HHS.gov
          USA.gov
    Contact FDA
      Follow FDA on Facebook
      Follow FDA on X
      Follow FDA on Instagram
      Follow FDA on LinkedIn
      View FDA videos on YouTube
      Subscribe to FDA RSS feeds
    FDA Homepage
    Contact Number
      1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332) Back toTop