How to Read a Nutrition Label (Beginner's Guide)

The short answer

Read a nutrition label in this order: serving size first, then calories, then sugar and sodium, then fiber and protein, and finally the ingredient list. The serving size changes everything else on the label, so it's always step one.

1. Start with the serving size

Every number on the label is *per serving*, not per package. A bag might contain 3 servings, so eating the whole thing triples the calories, sugar, and sodium. Always check how many servings you're actually eating.

2. Check sugar - especially added sugar

Look for added sugars specifically. A rough guide per 100 g: under 5 g is low, over 22.5 g is high. Natural sugar in plain fruit or dairy is less of a concern than added sugar in sodas and snacks.

3. Watch sodium

Sodium adds up fast in packaged foods. Under ~140 mg per serving is low; over ~1.5 g per 100 g is high. If a food tastes salty and you eat several servings, the total can climb quickly.

4. Reward fiber and protein

• Fiber: 3 g+ per serving is good; 5 g+ is excellent.
• Protein: higher protein helps you stay full.

5. Read the ingredient list

Ingredients are listed by weight, largest first. If sugar (or one of its many names) is near the top, the product is sugar-heavy. Shorter lists of recognizable ingredients are usually a good sign.