Final answer:
A food can be labeled as a high source of a nutrient if it offers at least 20% of the nutrient's Daily Reference Value per serving. %DV helps consumers understand nutrient content in the context of a total daily diet based on a 2,000 calorie intake.
Step-by-step explanation:
A food may claim to be a HIGH SOURCE of a nutrient if it provides at least 20% of Daily Reference Value of that nutrient in a single serving. When you're reading food labels, the Percent Daily Values (%DV) indicate how much of each nutrient provided by a serving of the food contributes to a daily diet.
These daily values are calculated based on a 2,000 calorie diet, and they're crucial for understanding which nutrients are present in high or low amounts.
For example, if you're looking at a nutrition facts label and you notice that a particular food item provides 20% or more of the DV of calcium, that food can be considered a high source of calcium.
On the other hand, foods that provide 5% or less of the DV of a nutrient (like fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, and iron in certain cases) can be considered low sources of these nutrients.
This information can help individuals make healthier food choices by seeking out foods that are high in beneficial nutrients like protein and fiber, while being low in less desirable ones such as fats and sodium.