See how to compare the nutritional values of two or more foods. (190k PDF file) 
For the most recent information about food labels, visit FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Tortilla chips. Chocolate pudding. Frozen yogurt. Allison Gilliam, 16, of Gaithersburg, Md., points out some of her favorite foods at her neighborhood grocery store.
Sliced turkey. Dried fruit. The list of items goes on. They're all delicious, and you might never guess that they're also all low in or without fat. Even the chocolate pudding!
It says so right on the food label, and Gilliam, a high-school junior, spots the information right away. A front-label fat claim draws her to the product, and she finds the Nutrition Facts panel on the side or back of the package with more complete information.
Gilliam uses the food label to help her control her fat intake. "I used to be fat," she says. "I lost 45 pounds."
She knows dietary fat is the most concentrated source of calories (9 calories per gram versus 4 calories per gram for carbohydrate and protein), so she checks the label to see how much fat a food contains. If the fat content is over 5 grams per serving, she considers buying something else instead.
Like Gilliam, you can make the food label work for you--whether your concern is losing weight, gaining weight, eating enough protein, eating less fat, or simply staying in the good shape you're in.
The food label was revamped in 1994, thanks to regulations from the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As a result, you get:
Get the Facts
The main draw is the "Nutrition Facts" panel, which gives information about nutrients people are most concerned about today. For example, the panel gives the lowdown on fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol because of their link to heart disease. (See "On the Teen Scene: Good News About Good Nutrition" in the April 1992 FDA Consumer.)
You may find particularly useful information about nutrients that teenagers especially need. For instance, girls, who often eat fewer calories than boys, sometimes don't get enough calcium and iron, so they can use the label to help them choose foods that give a good supply of those nutrients. Girls also have special needs for these nutrients: Consumption of milk and other products containing calcium in teen years may help prevent osteoporosis later in life; extra iron is sometimes needed to replace what's lost during menstruation.
Almost everyone wants to know about calorie content. For sports-minded teens, getting enough calories may be the concern, while those who tend to be overweight may want to reduce their calorie intake. The food label can help because it almost always will list the calories in a serving of food.
%Daily Values
The amount of nutrients in a food is given in one or two ways: in grams (or milligrams) or as a percentage of the Daily Value, a new label reference tool.
The %Daily Value shows how a serving of food fits in with current recommendations for a healthful daily diet. These reference numbers--called Daily Values--are based on the government's Dietary Guidelines; for example, one guideline recommends restricting fat intake to 30 percent or less of calorie intake.
The government has set 2,000 calories a day as the basis for calculating %Daily Values. Of course, not everyone eats this amount. Teen-age girls often average 2,200 calories a day, while some teen-age boys may eat 2,500 or more calories a day.
Whatever your calorie intake, you still can use the %Daily Values on the label to get a general idea of how a serving of food fits into the total daily diet.
The goal is to eat about 100 percent of the Daily Value for each nutrient each day. For nutrients that may be related to health problems--such as fat, saturated fat, and sodium--100 percent should be the upper limit. For other nutrients that are often needed to maintain good health and which may be in short supply--such as fiber and calcium--the goal is to eat at least 100 percent.
A good rule of thumb: If the %Daily Value listed on the panel is 5 or less, the food contributes a small amount of that nutrient to the diet.
Nutrient Claims
Just as Gilliam does for low-fat products, you can easily spot foods offering the kind of nutritional benefits you want by looking for claims on the package. (See accompanying article.)
The government has set strict definitions for 12 "core" terms:
These terms can be used only if the food meets certain criteria, so when you see them, you can believe them.
Health Claims
Another type of claim, the health claim, also can alert you to nutritious foods. FDA has approved 10 claims. They show a link between:
See how to compare the nutritional values of two or more foods. (190k PDF file)
Look for the Info
The food label won't tell you what foods to eat--that's your decision--but it will help you find foods with the kinds of nutritional benefits you want.
Also, many fast-food places voluntarily offer nutrition information about their foods. The information is often available on request. Many of these restaurants now offer low-fat choices, including lettuce salads and low-fat entrees.
So, like teenage Gilliam, you, too, may soon find yourself eating a whole new way. In Gilliam's case, that's a low-fat diet that includes such foods as baked tortilla chips, fat-free pudding, nonfat frozen yogurt, and skim milk. After all, said Gilliam, "It's second nature to me now."
Paula Kurtzweil is a member of FDA's public affairs staff.
high-protein: at least 10 grams (g) high-quality protein per serving
good source of calcium: at least 100 milligrams (mg) calcium per serving
more iron: at least 1.8 mg more iron per serving than reference food. (Label will say 10 percent more of the Daily Value for iron.)
fat-free: less than 0.5 g fat per serving
low-fat: 3 g or less fat per serving. (If the serving size is 30 g or less or 2 tablespoons or less, 3 g or less fat per 50 g of the food.)
reduced or fewer calories: at least 25 percent fewer calories per serving than the reference food
sugar-free: less than 0.5 g sugar per serving
light (two meanings):
A 50-page food label education program for 10th- through 12th-grade students is available for $5 a copy.
The New Food Label: There's Something in It for Everybody was developed by FDA and the International Food Information Council Foundation to help students learn how to use the food label to choose healthy foods. The brochure covers a range of food labeling topics--from product dating to Nutrition Facts.
It consists of five lesson plans with learner outcomes, learning strategies, handouts, charts and worksheets, and suggested activities.
To order, send check or money order payable to the International Food Information Council Foundation to IFIC Foundation, 1100 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 430, Washington, DC 20036. State number of copies desired at $5 each. (D.C. residents add 6 percent sales tax.) You can also order the brochure through IFIC's Website.
Publication No. (FDA) 98-2294
This is a mirror of the page at http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/795_teenfood.html