Question 1

What is % Daily Value (%DV)?

Accepted Answer

% Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving contributes to your total daily diet, based on a 2,000 calorie reference diet. 5% DV or less is considered low; 20% DV or more is considered high. Use it to compare foods or see if a food is high or low in specific nutrients. It is a guide, not a strict limit.

Question 2

What is a serving size?

Accepted Answer

A serving size is a standardized amount of food used as a reference for the nutrition facts. It reflects the amount people typically eat, not necessarily the recommended amount. If you eat more or fewer servings than listed, you must adjust the nutrient amounts accordingly. This tool lets you enter the number of servings eaten to calculate your actual intake.

Question 3

How do I interpret the color coding?

Accepted Answer

Green indicates low nutrient content (under 5% DV) — good for nutrients you want to limit like sodium and saturated fat. Yellow indicates moderate content (5–20% DV). Red indicates high content (over 20% DV) — this can be beneficial for fiber, calcium, and iron, but is a caution flag for sodium, saturated fat, and cholesterol.

Question 4

Should I count Trans Fat in my daily values?

Accepted Answer

Unlike most nutrients, there is no established % DV for trans fat because there is no safe level of consumption — any amount increases the risk of heart disease. The goal is to consume as little trans fat as possible. When this tool shows trans fat without a %DV bar, that is intentional and consistent with FDA labeling guidelines.

Question 5

What are the reference daily values used?

Accepted Answer

This tool uses FDA Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie reference diet: Total Fat 78g, Saturated Fat 20g, Cholesterol 300mg, Sodium 2,300mg, Total Carbohydrate 275g, Dietary Fiber 28g, Protein 50g, Vitamin D 20mcg, Calcium 1,300mg, Iron 18mg, Potassium 4,700mg. These are for general reference; individual needs may vary based on age, sex, and health conditions.

Nutrition Label Analyzer

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