1.     Serving Size -- First look at the "serving size" printed below "nutrition facts." The size of the serving on the food package influences the number of calories and all the nutrient amounts listed on the top part of the label. Take note of the serving size, especially how many servings there are in the food package. For example, two Pop-Tarts come two in each package. The label says one serving is 200 calories. The catch is that's for one pastry.

2.     Calories and Calories From Fat - Next you'll see how many calories are in a serving and how many of those calories come from fat. Remember that the number of servings you consume determines the number of calories you actually eat (your portion amount). A 2-ounce serving of tuna has 60 calories, 5 of which come from fat. If you eat the whole 5-ounce can, multiply these amounts by 2.5 for a total of 150 calories and 12.5 fat grams.

3.     Nutrients to Limit – These are listed first. It shows how much of each nutrient is in a single serving by weight in grams and by %DV. This symbol refers to the recommended daily allowance for a nutrient based on a 2,000-calorie diet (you'll see that some nutrients, such as sugar and protein, don't have a %DV).

Eating too much fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, or sodium may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases, like heart disease, some cancers, or high blood pressure. Studies show trans fats lower good cholesterol and boost bad cholesterol, increasing your risk for heart disease and strokes, according to the American Heart Association. They're also suspected of playing a role in cancer and diabetes.

If a serving contains less than .5 grams of trans fat, the manufacturer is free to list it as 0g on the nutrition label. The front of the package may say “O trans fats!”, but if you see “partially hydrogenated” on the ingredient list, trans fats are present.

4.     Nutrients to consume in greater amounts – According to the FDA, most Americans don't get enough dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron in their diets. Eating enough of these nutrients can improve your health and help reduce the risk of some diseases and conditions.

5.     Footnote of Percent Daily Values – This information does not change from product to product, because it serves as a guideline to consumers. As you read the percentages of nutrients, remember that DV is based on 2,000 calories a day, and adjust your serving size. In general, a diet containing 1,000 to 1,200 calories per day is what is recommend for most women trying to lose weight and a diet containing between 1,200 and 1,600 is appropriate for most men trying to lose weight.

6.      Interpreting the % of DV – According to the FDA, anything reading 5% or less is low. Anything at 20% or more is high. Look for low percentages in the undesireable nutrients, and high percentages in the desireable nutrients. When you're in a hurry, sometimes the best you can do is compare three brands of the same product, such as chili. Manufacturers tend to standardize serving sizes. For chili, it's 1 cup. So when you check the different brands for %DV it's easy to see which contains more of the nutrients you want and less of those you don't want.

7.      Ingredients -- Ingredients are listed in order from the greatest amount to the least. In general, nutritionists say the fewer the ingredients, the better.

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