When you scan a food label, the 'Percent Daily Value' ( %DV) section at the bottom tells you how much of a nutrient one serving provides compared to the daily recommendation. This number helps you compare foods and understand your intake without complex math.
Quick Answer
The %DV shows what percentage of your daily nutrient need you get from one serving.
What %DV Actually Means for Your Grocery Shopping
The %DV on food labels compares one serving's nutrient content to the daily recommendation set by the FDA. This percentage helps you gauge how much of a nutrient you're consuming relative to what's needed in a day.
No Daily Reference Value has been established for total sugars because no recommendation has been made for the total amount to eat in a day.
What Is the Nutrition Facts Label?: The label's percent Daily Value (%DV) section can help you learn how much of each nutrient you are eating and compare what is in different foods.
- It shows how much of a nutrient one serving provides compared to the daily recommendation.
- The Percent Daily Value (%DV) (#4 on sample label) The % Daily Value (%DV) is the percentage of the Daily Value for each nutrient in a serving of the food.
- Experts recommend that you get a certain amount of different nutrients daily.
- %DV tells you what percentage of the daily recommendation you get from one serving of a food.
Why %DV Doesn't Apply to All Nutrients
Total Sugars has no Daily Value; Added Sugars has a Daily Value of 50 grams.
This gap in the %DV system reflects the lack of official dietary guidelines for total sugars. The Added Sugars %DV uses a 50-gram reference for a 2,000-calorie diet.
Serving Size on the Nutrition Facts Label: Serving Size | Calories | The label percentage | Added Sugars Start with Serving Information First, look at the serving size and the number of servings per container.
- Total Sugars has no %DV, while Added Sugars does.
- Total Sugars: No Daily Reference Value has been established for Total Sugars because no recommendations have been made for the total amount to eat in a day.
- How to Read Food Labels: Reading the labels can help you make healthy choices when you shop and plan meals.
How to Read %DV for Specific Groups
For infants, children, pregnant women, and lactating women, the FDA adjusts the %DV to match their specific daily needs.
If a food is labeled for pregnant women, the %DV will use the daily reference values for that group, not the general adult population.
Food Labeling: These "Nutrition Facts" labels can help you make smarter food choices and eat a healthy diet.
- Foods specifically labeled for infants use applicable infant reference values; these are not uniformly higher than adult values.
- Pregnant and lactating women's %DV is adjusted to their specific nutrient requirements.
- The %DV for these groups is calculated using the FDA's recommended daily values for their age or health status.
When %DV Helps You Avoid Common Mistakes
The %DV section can prevent confusion about added sugars.
This helps you avoid assuming that a high %DV means you're consuming too much, as it's relative to your daily goal, not an absolute amount per serving.
This percentage (%DV) is a number that helps you understand how much of a nutrient is in one serving.
- Added Sugars %DV is based on the Added Sugars Daily Value, not a Daily Value for Total Sugars.
- Pretzels Single-Ingredient Sugar labels Packages and containers of products such as pure honey, pure maple syrup, or packages of pure sugar are not required to include a declaration of the number of grams of Added.
FAQ
How does %DV differ for infants versus adults?
Infants and children have different daily nutrient needs. Foods specifically labeled for infants use age-specific values. Infant formula follows separate labeling requirements.
Which detail belongs in my records?
How to Use the Nutrition Facts Label: The bottom section contains a footnote that explains the % Daily Value and gives the number of calories used for general nutrition advice.
