How to Get Nutrition Facts

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The best way to get nutrition facts for packaged foods is to read the labels on the packages. In the case of non-packaged food, you have to be a little more persistent. Here's how to get the info.

Step 1: Look at the Nutrition Facts label
Look at the Nutrition Facts label on the back of food packaging. This label consists of a serving size section, a calories section, a nutrients percentage daily value section, and a footnote.

Step 2: Look at the serving size information
Examine the label for serving size and number of servings in the package.

Tip
Sometimes a package that looks like it's a single serving will actually be labeled as 2 or 3 servings.

Step 3: Look at calories
Look at the calorie section of the food label. This section will show you how many calories and how many calories from fat are in the product.

Step 4: Look at the nutrient section
Look at the nutrient section. The entries at the top of this section are nutrients you should not consume too much of, such as fat, cholesterol, and sodium. The nutrients at the bottom of the section are those you should be sure to include in your diet.

Step 5: Look at the footnotes
Look at the footnotes at the bottom of the label. This shows the recommended percentage daily values for a 2,000-calorie diet. If space permits, additional information may appear here.

Step 6: Consult a table of food values
Consult a table of food values such as the Nutritive Value of Foods table published by the USDA on "nal.usda.gov":nal.usda.gov/ to obtain nutrition facts about non-processed foods.

Step 7: Check the Web for restaurant food information
Check the internet for information about the nutritional values of restaurant foods. Visit the restaurant's website for information, or go to "livestrong.com":livestrong.com/ and "sparkpeople.com":sparkpeople.com/, which provide nutrition facts submitted by users.

Did You Know?
The first food regulatory law was proclaimed in England in the 13th century.