How to Read the Nutrition Facts Table

Canada’s Nutrition Facts table is designed to make packaged foods easier to compare. You do not need to memorize every nutrient. Start with the serving size, decide which nutrients matter to you and use the percentage Daily Value to put the numbers in context.

Begin with serving size

Every number in the Nutrition Facts table relates to the stated serving size. Comparing products is most useful when the serving amounts are reasonably similar or when you adjust for the difference.

Understand percent Daily Value

Health Canada teaches a simple rule: 5% Daily Value or less is a little and 15% or more is a lot. This helps put nutrient amounts into context.

Know what you may want more of

Depending on your needs, fibre, calcium, iron and potassium may be nutrients you compare between foods.

Know what you may want less of

Health Canada’s guidance encourages limiting excess sodium, sugars and saturated fat. The Nutrition Facts table helps compare these between similar products.

Calories are information, not a complete score

Calories describe energy. They do not tell you everything about protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals, fullness or the overall quality of a food.

Use the table for comparison

The label is particularly useful when choosing between products you would realistically buy. Compare like with like rather than using one number to declare a food universally good or bad.

The serving size is the anchor

A common label-reading mistake is to look at calories or sodium without first checking the serving size. If a table describes 30 grams but you normally eat 60 grams, your actual intake from that amount will be roughly twice what the table describes. Serving sizes are also structured under Canadian labelling rules to improve comparison among similar foods.

When comparing two products, make sure you are comparing equivalent amounts. A lower number can simply reflect a smaller stated serving.

How to use 5% and 15% Daily Value

Health Canada’s consumer guidance uses 5% Daily Value or less as “a little” and 15% or more as “a lot.” This is a quick comparison tool, not a requirement that every nutrient in every food fall below or above those values.

For example, you might look for more fibre in a cereal while looking for less sodium in a soup. The useful direction depends on the nutrient and your needs.

Do not reduce a food to calories

Two foods with similar calories can provide very different amounts of protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals, sodium and saturated fat. Calories matter because they describe energy, but they are not an overall food-quality score.

The opposite mistake is also possible. A food containing valuable nutrients can still contribute more energy than someone expects if the portion is large. The table gives information. It does not make the decision for you.

Nutrition Facts and ingredient lists work together

The Nutrition Facts table answers “how much?” for specified nutrients. The ingredient list helps answer “what is it made from?” Front-of-package symbols highlight certain nutrient thresholds. Origin and certification claims answer still other questions.

Using all of these pieces together is much more informative than choosing a product because one large number or claim appears on the front.

A practical way to use this information

Food labels and food rules are most useful when they help answer a question you actually care about. Decide whether you are trying to understand nutrition, origin, production methods, food safety, animal care, environmental practices or value for money. Those are different questions and one logo or marketing phrase rarely answers all of them.

When information is unclear, turn the package around, check the regulated label and ask the producer or manufacturer a specific question. When buying directly from a farm or market vendor, the opportunity to ask those questions is one of the advantages of buying closer to the source.

The PureFarmFresh approach

We want Albertans to be able to understand their food without turning every choice into an argument about a perfect diet. Labels matter. Farming practices matter. Nutrition matters. Origin matters. So do affordability, availability, culture, enjoyment and the realities of feeding a household.

Know where it comes from. Understand what the label means. Ask better questions.

We explain the subject. You decide what matters to you.

Sources & Further Reading

Reviewed: September 2026

Food regulations, labelling requirements and public-health guidance can change. Check the linked Government of Canada, CFIA and Government of Alberta sources for current requirements. This article provides general educational information and is not individualized medical or nutrition advice.