Decoding Food Labels: A Step-by-Step Guide to Healthier Eating

Ever feel overwhelmed by the tiny print on food packaging? You're not alone! Decoding a food label can feel like cracking a secret code. But what if I told you it’s easier than it looks? Let’s break it down together so you can shop smarter and eat healthier with confidence.

Being able to understand a food label is a powerful tool to make informed dietary choices. It allows you to read and understand what the package states and what you are genuinely putting in your body. Knowing how to interpret serving sizes, calories, nutrients, and percent daily values allows you to make smarter choices to meet your specific health goals. Food labels also help you identify hidden sugars, unhealthy fats, and artificial additives that could negatively impact your health over time. Understanding these components enables you to compare products more effectively, avoid misleading claims, and prioritize foods that support your overall well-being.

Understanding the Layout of a Food Label

Understanding the layout and components of the food label is the first step. Each nutrition label section contains crucial information about the food’s nutritional content. The first section is the serving size and servings per container. This tells you how much of the product is considered a “single serving” and how many servings are in the entire package. The following section is the calories section, which tells you how many calories are in each serving. Then, we can see the nutrient information section. This section breaks down the nutrient content in the food per serving (including fats, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals). There is also a column with percentage daily values (%DV). This offers a reference to determine how much a serving of this food contributes to your daily nutritional needs based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Finally, there is the ingredients section, where all the ingredients in the product are listed in descending order by weight. 

Serving Size: The Foundation of a Food Label

Understanding the serving size is crucial as the rest of the information on the nutrition label is based on this specific amount. If you eat more or less than what a serving size is defined as on the nutrition label, the nutritional value would need to be adjusted accordingly. Serving sizes can also help you compare products in a more standardized way by ensuring that you are comparing the nutritional values as a one-to-one ratio. Comparing the nutritional value of products is only meaningful when you compare the exact serving sizes (or adjust for this). This makes serving sizes an essential tool for making informed decisions when choosing between products, helping you select the option that best aligns with your health goals.

Breaking Down the Nutrients

The next step is to understand the product's nutritional value. This involves looking at both macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients provide most of the energy; they are nutrients that the body needs in large amounts. These include fats, protein, and carbohydrates. 

Beyond the number of calories, it is essential to consider the quality of the nutrients. Fat, which aids 9 kcal of energy per gram, is essential for energy and nutrient absorption. However, not all fats are the same; unsaturated fats (defined by fats with one or more double bonds on their carbon chain) are heart-healthy, while saturated and trans-saturated fats (which contain no double bonds in their structure) should be limited. Total carbohydrates, which yield 4 kcal of energy per gram, consist of dietary fibers, sugars, and starches. Fiber is a quality carbohydrate that supports digestion, promotes satiety, and may aid in reducing cholesterol levels.

On the other hand, added sugars are a less desirable carbohydrate, providing quick energy but little to no nutritional value. Finally, there are proteins, which yield 4 kcal of energy per gram. Protein is essential for building/repairing tissues and maintaining muscle mass (1).

While macronutrients usually get the spotlight, micronutrients are equally essential. Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals that play vital roles in the body, including immune function, bone health, and energy production. When reading a food label, focus on micronutrients' percent daily values (%DV). The %DV tells how much a serving of a given food contributes to your daily recommended nutrient intake (based on a 2000-calorie diet). A %DV allows us to assess whether a food is high or low in specific vitamins or minerals. High %DVs in beneficial nutrients such as fiber, vitamin D, calcium, and iron can help fill common nutritional gaps and support optimal body functioning. On the flip side, aim for low %DVs in nutrients like sodium, added sugars, and saturated fats, which can have negative health impacts when consumed in excess.   

Ingredients List: The Hidden Truth

The ingredients list reveals what’s in your food, with ingredients listed in descending order by weight. This means the first few ingredients make up most of the product, giving you insight into its nutritional quality. 

It's essential to watch out for ingredients like added sugars (like high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, agave nectar, or any ingredient ending in “-ose”), unhealthy fats (like hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils), and unnecessary artificial additives or preservatives (2). The shorter the list, the better. You should aim for products made with whole, recognizable ingredients. A simpler list often means the food is less processed and closer to its natural state.

Special Claims and Marketing Tricks

Food packaging often features bold claims designed to catch your eye, but understanding what these terms mean is crucial, as they can often be misleading. Labels like “low-fat” or “light” may sound healthy, but they can hide added sugars or other unwanted ingredients to maintain flavor. Terms such as “natural” are largely unregulated and may not reflect the product’s true quality. Even “organic,” while indicative of certain farming practices, doesn’t necessarily mean a food is lower in calories or more nutrient-dense (3). By looking beyond these claims and diving into the nutrition facts and ingredients list, you can make more informed choices and avoid being swayed by clever marketing tactics. Don’t let these buzzwords distract you from the actual ingredients in the product. Always check the nutrition label of the products to avoid falling for these common marketing tricks. 

Food labels may seem complicated at first, but with a bit of practice, you'll be navigating them like a pro in no time. Once you know what to look for, making informed and healthy choices becomes second nature.

References

1. Espinosa-Salas, S. (2023, August 8). Nutrition: Macronutrient intake, imbalances, and interventions. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK594226/ 

2. More key topics. USDA MyPlate Healthy Eating More Key Topics: Oils, Added Sugars, Saturated Fats, Sodium, and Alcohol. (n.d.). https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/more-key-topics 

3. Understanding food terms: Reading food labels. Reading Food Labels | American Cancer Society. (n.d.). https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/diet-physical-activity/eat-healthy/understanding-food-labels.html