What does Percent Daily Value mean on food labels?
Food labels list percentages that are based on recommended daily intakes — meaning the amount of nutrients a person should get each day. These numbers tell you the Percent Daily Value (DV) that one serving of this food provides as a percentage of established standards. For example, a label may show that a serving of the food provides 30 percent of the daily recommended amount of fiber. This means you still need another 70 percent to meet the recommended goal. Percent DV is based on a 2,000-calorie diet for adults older than 18. Nutrition experts recommend limiting total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium in your diet, so choose foods with a lower Percent DV for these nutrients. Eat more foods with a higher Percent DV for vitamins, minerals and fiber. Using Percent Daily Values can help you compare similar foods in order to help determine what foods are higher in nutrients.
