Final answer:
Food labels provide nutrient content, calorie count, a list of ingredients, and the RDA in the form of % DV for essential nutrients, helping consumers make informed food choices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Food labels typically provide several key pieces of information about the nutritional content of food products. These include:
- Nutrient content: such as the number of grams of fat, carbohydrates, protein, and fibers in a serving.
- Calorie count: indicating how many calories are in a single serving of the food.
- Ingredients: listed in descending order of weight, meaning the first few ingredients are those found in the largest amount in the food product.
- The percentage of U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) of essential nutrients: this is indicated by the percent daily values (% DV) that show how much of each nutrient is in a single serving in the context of a total daily diet.
By scanning the nutrition facts label on packaged food, consumers can make informed choices by selecting foods high in essential nutrients they need more of and low in those they need less of, such as sodium and sugar.