Each part of the Nutrition Facts label helps us better understand what’s in the foods or beverages we choose. It can be a quick reference on everything from calories to nutrient content, helping us compare between foods and make more informed decisions on what to eat.

Looking at the nutrition information on food labels can help you make healthier choices. Traffic light labelling allows you to make comparisons between products that are high, medium, or low in fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar. Calories are also shown on the label.

The nutrition label acts as something of a truth serum for food, telling us exactly what we’re getting. With government oversight requiring accuracy — and lists of nutrient values down to the milligram — labels offer consumers easy access to information they can count on.

The majority of Americans use the Nutrition Facts label to guide their food choices. According to an FDA survey, 87% of U.S. adults have looked at the Nutrition Facts panel. The top four factors that consumers consider when making food choices are: Calories. Total sugar. Sodium. Serving size.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods and drinks. In 2016, the FDA released changes to the label to make it easier to see how many calories and added sugars are in a product and to make serving sizes more realistic.