Reading a nutrition label in thirty seconds

21 September 2026, 2 minute read

Four lines carry nearly all the information you need.

A nutrition panel looks dense, but you only need a few lines of it. Read them in the same order every time and it takes half a minute.

Start with the serving size

Every number below it refers to one serving, and the serving is often smaller than what people actually eat. A serving of cereal may be 30 grams. A normal bowl is closer to 60, so everything doubles.

On European packs, use the per 100 g column. It is the only fair way to compare two products, because manufacturers choose their own serving sizes.

Then check four lines

• Added sugars, or sugars on European labels
• Sodium or salt
• Saturated fat
• Fibre

You want the first three low and the last one high.

The 5 and 20 rule

US labels show a percent Daily Value next to each nutrient. Five percent or less means the food is low in it. Twenty percent or more means it is high. That turns the panel into a quick yes or no without any arithmetic.

Glance at the ingredients

Ingredients are listed by weight, largest first. If sugar appears in the first three, the product is mostly a sweet. Sugar also travels under other names: glucose syrup, dextrose, maltose, fruit juice concentrate.

Ignore the front of the pack. Words like natural, light and source of protein are advertising. The panel on the back is the part with rules.