Reading and Understanding Food Labels
Informed food choices are essential to preventing and living well with diabetes. One important aspect of informing your food choices is understanding the Nutrition Facts label that is found on packaged foods—and we’re here to help! If the food claims on the package leave you puzzled, don’t worry, you’re not alone. We will break them down so you can better understand what they mean.
Serving Size and Servings per Container
Start by looking at the serving size, since the nutrition information is based on that amount. If you eat more than the serving, you'll get extra calories, carbohydrates, and other nutrients. Just above the serving size, you'll see the "servings per container," which tells you how many servings are in the whole package.
Calories
Calories are the energy your body uses to do everyday tasks. Your calorie needs depend on your eating habits, preferences, and goals. Nutrition Facts labels are based on a person who needs 2,000 calories per day. For personalized advice, consider consulting a registered dietitian nutritionist (RD/RDN).
Total Carbohydrate
The total carbohydrate amount on a Nutrition Facts label includes sugar, starch, and fiber. If you're counting carbohydrates or making decisions based on them, check the total grams listed. You'll also see a breakdown of each type of carbohydrate below that number.
Dietary Fiber
The amount of fiber you need depends on your age and gender, with healthy adults needing between 25 and 38 grams a day on average. Most people don’t eat enough fiber. Eating more fiber-rich foods can help lower A1C levels and promote good gut health. You might see some claims that a food is “high fiber” or that it is a “good source” of fiber. Here’s what that means:
- High fiber: 5 grams or more per serving
- Good source of fiber: 2.5 grams or more per serving
Protein
Protein is essential for individuals with diabetes because it plays a key role in muscle maintenance, wound healing, blood glucose (blood sugar) management, and overall health. The Nutrition Facts label lists protein in grams and often includes the Percent Daily Value. The Percent Daily Value is determined by the quality of the protein used. This is required if any protein claims are used on the food item.
Added Sugar
Nutrition labels must show the amount of added sugars so you can tell the difference between the sugars naturally found in foods, like yogurt and fruit, and the sugars added during processing. Added sugars are common in things like soda, candy, and baked goods, but are also added to foods you least expect (like sauces). For people with diabetes, it is important to check out this section of the Nutrition Facts label. Here are some commonly used claims regarding sugars found on foods:
- Sugar free: Less than 0.5 grams per serving
- Reduced sugar: At least 25% less sugar per serving than the regular version
- No sugar added or without added sugars: No sugar or sugar-containing ingredient is added during processing
Total Fat
The total fat in a food item includes unsaturated, saturated, and trans fats. For better health, it's important to focus on eating foods with unsaturated fats and try to limit saturated and trans fats. Some fat claims on packages may include:
- Fat free: Less than 0.5 grams of fat
- Saturated fat free: Less than 0.5 grams of saturated fat
- Trans fat free: Less than 0.5 grams of trans fat
- Low fat: 3 grams or less of total fat
- Low saturated fat: 1 gram or less of saturated fat
- Reduced fat or less fat: At least 25% less fat than the regular version
Sodium
Sodium, or salt, doesn't directly affect blood glucose, but too much can raise your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Many foods have hidden sodium, so it's important to check the Nutrition Facts label to find out how much the food item has. The general recommendation is to keep sodium intake under 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day. Here are the sodium claims found on packages:
- Sodium free or salt free: Less than 5 mg per serving
- Very low sodium: 35 mg or less
- Low sodium: 140 mg or less
- Reduced sodium or less sodium: At least 25% less sodium than the regular version
Percent Daily Values (%DV)
The Percent Daily Values for each nutrient are listed in the right column of the label. These percentages show how much nutrient the food provides based on a 2,000-calorie diet. As a guideline, look for 10% DV. Aim for less than 10% DV for nutrients you want to cut back on (like added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat) and aim for 10% DV orhigher for nutrients you want to get more of (like fiber, vitamin D, calcium, and iron).
Carbohydrate Marketing Claims or Terms
You might have seen terms like "net carbs" or “glycemic index” on some food packages. These terms haven’t been defined by the FDA and the American Diabetes Association doesn’t recommend their use. Always check the total carbohydrates on the Nutrition Facts label first. Monitoring your blood glucose levels can help you understand how different types of carbs affect your blood glucose.
Looking to put your Nutrition Facts label knowledge to the test? Check out the Diabetes Food Hub where you can create a customizable grocery list and review the nutrition information for each of the recipes.
If you’d like to take your healthy eating journey a step further, look for food products that are licensed in our Better Choices for Life Program. When you see products with the ADA’s mark on the packaging, you can easily know if a product meets our guidelines—so you can feel confident about your purchase.
