The Nutrition Facts Panel can help you make healthy choices at the grocery store, compare foods and products, and plan healthy meals. Information on the Nutrition Facts Panel also can help you reduce your risk for certain diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, diabetes, and some forms of cancer.
As scientific research continues to explore new links between nutrition and overall health, the Nutrition Facts Panel will continue to evolve. The Nutrition Facts Panel is designed to include key nutrients of public health concern and information to make informed food choices and comparisons.
Take the Nutrition Facts Panel Quiz...
1. % Daily Values show how a food fits into a 2,000 calorie diet. True or False?
2. Similar products use the same serving sizes. True or False?
3. The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) have been incorporated into the Nutrition Facts Panel. True or False?
4. Nutrition Facts Panels help you compare foods. True or False?
5. Polyunsaturated fats are required on the Nutrition Facts Panel. True or False?
6. Calories from fat are useful for weight control. True or False?
7. Eating a diet low in fat may help reduce your risk of heart disease. True or False?
8. Trans fats are required on the Nutrition Facts Panel. True or False?
9. The Nutrition Facts Panel must always list 20 vitamins and minerals. True or False?
10. Health claims are allowed on all foods. True or False?
Check the answers to the quiz...
What to look at on the nutrition facts panel
- Start at the serving size and the number of servings in the package.
- Caloric Intake - Look at the calories and calories from fat
- %DV Guide - The % Daily Value helps you determine whether the nutrients (fat, sodium, fiber, etc.) in a serving of food contribute a little or a lot to your daily intake.
- Macronutrients and Micronutrients - The Nutrition Facts Panel includes a number of nutrients that are important for your health.
- Footnotes - The statement, “Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet” must appear on all Nutrition Facts Panels. The remaining part of the footnote is not required to appear on the Nutrition Facts Panel if the size of the label is too small.
Download the Get Ready for the New Nutrition Facts Panel (pdf) publication for more information.