The food labels (nutrition facts) are separated into two parts. One is the % Daily Value, and the other is the amount per serving.
The % Daily Value is based on a recommended 2000 calorie diet. So as you look at the label and find vitamin A you see that this product contains 4% per serving. So based on a 2000 calorie diet you will you will need 96 more percent to meet that 2000 calorie diet. So let’s figure out one more. If you look at calcium you will see there is 20% per serving in this product. You will need 80% more calcium to meet the recommended amount.
To figure out the actual amount in the recommended 2000 calorie diet look at the serving size and how many servings are in this product.
So let’s figure that out.
The label says that one cup is 1 recommended serving. The label also says that there are 2 servings in this product which is 2 cups.
So now based on a recommended 2000 calorie diet 1 serving with the Vitamin A is 4 percent per serving. The total amount of Vitamin A in this product is 8 percent. So now if you eat the entire contents of this product you are getting 8% and to meet recommended daily amount you need 92 more percent of that 2000 calorie recommendation.
The other section is the amount per serving. The calories per serving are 250, and the number of servings in the whole package is 2 servings. Then that will make 500 calories for the entire package. If you eat the entire package you are ¼ of the way to your 2000 calorie diet.
The fat content per serving is 12 grams per serving, 2 servings in the entire package is 24 grams. Then that will put you at 36 percent towards your 2000 calorie diet. If you eat the whole package or just 18 percent if you just eat one of the 2 servings in the container.
There is one thing not to worry about in adding totals in food labels. That is the calories from fat. The calories from fat are 110 but that 110 is already added in the total 250. No extra adding or subtracting.
Carbs on food labels
The other thing is knowing your simple and complex carbs. There are 31 grams of carbs per serving in this product. There are 0 grams of dietary and 5 grams of sugar. So what is the other 26 grams? The other 26 grams of carbs are the carbs not needed to be listed on the label. The FDA requires total amount of carbs by grams listed on labels and also the dietary fiber and sugars are required to be listed. The other 26 grams are carbohydrate subcategories that the government does not enforce listing, which could be gums, lignans, organic acids and flavenoids. If the total dietary fiber was 15 grams you would subtract that from the 31 and there would be 16 grams of simple carbs.
Fats on Food Labels
The next confusing thing on this label is the fats. In the label there are 12 grams of fat, but there are only 6 listed. There is 3 saturated fats and 3 transfats, so what is the other 6? The other 6 is fats that the government does not require to list. These fats are either monounsaturated fats or polyunsaturated fats. Due to Americas over weight epidemic the FDA now says saturated fats and transfats must be listed, but the others do not (because they are actually good for us).
Facts to know:
1 gram of fat is 9 calories
1 gram of protein is 4 calories
1 gram of carbs is 4 calories
So 250 calories per serving, lets get a rough estimate from the food label of caloric break down.
12 grams of fat per serving at 9 calories is 108 calories
31 grams of carbs per serving at 4 calories is 124 calories
And 5 grams of protein per serving at 4 grams is 20 calories
This is giving you a rough estimate of 252 calories per serving.
All food labels are based on a 2000 calorie diet, so if your diet requires more calories then the percentage would be lower. If your diet requires less than 2000 calories then the percentage would be higher.
Even if you are not on a diet you should be aware of what you are eating.
