A nutrition facts table can help you make informed food choices when grocery shopping and preparing food at home. Learn about what is in a nutrition facts table and how to use it.
What is included in a nutrition facts table
A nutrition facts table gives you information on:
serving size
calories
% DV
It also gives you information on the 13 core nutrients:
fat
saturated fat
trans fat
cholesterol
sodium
carbohydrate
fibre
sugars
protein
vitamin A
vitamin C
calcium
iron
Did you know?
There are 13 core nutrients that must be listed in a nutrition facts table. However, here is a list of some of the nutrients that are optional to include:
folate
magnesium
niacin
phosphorous
potassium
riboflavin
selenium
thiamine
vitamin B12
vitamin B6
vitamin D
vitamin E
zinc
Foods that do not have a nutrition facts table
By law, most packaged food in Canada must have a nutrition facts table. However, the following foods do not need to have a nutrition facts table:
fresh vegetables and fruit
raw meat and poultry (except when it is ground)
raw seafood
one-bite confections that are individually sold
milk sold in refillable glass containers
individual servings of food meant to be eaten immediately
foods prepared or processed in-store made from its ingredients, such as:
bakery items
salads
Other exceptions include:
beverages with an alcohol content over 0.5%
foods, prepared, processed and sold at a:
road-side stand
craft show
flea market
fair
farmers' market
sugar bush
You will not find a nutrition facts table on foods that contain very few nutrients, such as:
coffee
tea
vinegar
spices
Restaurants and food service businesses also do not need to provide a nutrition facts table with their products.
How to use a nutrition facts table
The information in a nutrition facts table is based on the serving size. Serving size can be found at the top of the nutrition facts table.
You can use a nutrition facts table to compare the serving size to the amount of food you actually eat.
For example, the serving size of bread in a nutrition facts table could be 1 slice. But if you eat 2 slices, you need to double the amount of calories and nutrients.
A nutrition facts table can also be used to:
learn about a food's nutritional value (calories and nutrients)
see if a food contains a little (5% DV or less) or a lot (15% DV or more) of a nutrient
compare 2 products to make informed food choices
better manage special food needs such as a low-sodium diet
Percent daily value
The percent daily value (% DV) found in a nutrition facts table can help you make informed food choices. Learn how to use % DV to choose healthier foods.
About percent daily value
The % DV is found on the right-hand side of a nutrition facts table. It is a guide to help you make informed food choices. It shows you if the serving size has a little or a lot of a nutrient:
5% DV or less is a little
15% DV or more is a lot
This applies to all nutrients with a % DV.
The % DV is not meant to track the total amount of nutrients you have had for the day. This is because some of the foods you eat do not have a nutrition facts table, such as:
fresh vegetables and fruit
raw meat and poultry (except when it is ground)
raw seafood
The % DV for the following nutrients must be listed in the nutrition facts table:
fat
saturated and trans fats
sodium
carbohydrate
fibre
vitamin A
vitamin C
calcium
iron
Listing the % DV for cholesterol is optional.
Some other vitamins and minerals that do not have to be listed in the nutrition facts table include:
folate
magnesium
niacin
phosphorus
potassium
riboflavin
selenium
thiamine
vitamin B12
vitamin B6
vitamin D
vitamin E
zinc
However, when they are listed in the nutrition facts table, the amount is included as a % DV.
How to use percent daily value
Use % DV to compare 2 different food products to help you make an informed food choice.
You can use % DV to choose products that are higher in the nutrients you may want more of:
fibre
vitamin A
calcium
iron
You can also choose products that are lower in the nutrients you may want less of:
saturated and trans fats
sodium
How percent daily value is calculated
Many of the nutrient amounts in the nutrition facts table are shown using % DV.
The current daily values in Canada are based on 2 sets of values. These include the:
recommended daily intake (RDI) for vitamins and minerals
reference standards for:
fat
saturated and trans fats
cholesterol
carbohydrate
fibre
potassium
sodium
The % DV for a nutrient is calculated by dividing the amount of a nutrient in a serving size by its daily value, then multiplying that number by 100.
For example, a food product has 3 mg of iron. The daily value for iron is 14 mg. This means that the % DV for iron would be 21%.
If you would like to do your own calculation, use the equation below to help you.
(3 mg ÷ 14 mg) × 100 = 21% DV
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