What are food labels?

Food labels are found on packaged foods. They provide information on nutritional value, ingredients, and nutrition claims. Reading these labels will help you make healthier food choices.

By law, almost all packaged foods must be labelled with:

• The Nutrition Facts table. This gives you information on calories, serving size, nutrients, and the Percent Daily Value (% DV).
• The ingredients list. This lists all the ingredients in a food by weight, beginning with the ingredient that weighs the most and ending with the ingredient that weighs the least.

Some packaged foods may also have labels about nutrition claims. These claims describe the amount of a nutrient in a food or the positive effects of a food on your health.