Calories

• Food labels must list the number of calories in each serving. The number of servings per can or package is listed next to the number of calories, and includes the size of the serving. Pay close attention to these numbers. A serving size of cereal may only be 3/4 cup, which is less than the amount that you typically pour into your cereal bowl each morning.
  
  

Fats

• Food labels include the number of grams of fat in the food. The types of fats listed are monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated and trans fats. This enables consumers to identify foods high in unhealthy fats.
  
  

Carbohydrates and Protein

• Food labels are useful for consumers who are on low-carb diets. Labels list the grams of both carbohydrates and protein in each serving of food. Carbohydrates are broken down to include grams of fiber and sugar.
  
  

Sodium and Potassium

• Consumers who must monitor their sodium intake can easily tell how much sodium that one serving of food contains. Both sodium and potassium are listed on the label in milligrams per serving.
  
  

Nutrients

• Food labels also indicate the amount of vitamins and nutrients present in a food. A nutrient may not be listed if the food does not contain it.
  
  

Daily Value

• Daily Value is the FDA recommended amount of calories, sodium, vitamins, etc., that an individual should obtain in a day. Food labels include percentages to inform consumers how much of the recommended daily value they are receiving from a particular component of the food.