The content in this article should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider regarding your individual health needs.
Nutrition labels are everywhere—and that’s a good thing. But since they’re chock full of numbers and percentages, it can be easy to just let your eyes glaze over. Still, for someone trying to manage glucose levels and diabetes, being able to read and understand these food labels is crucial. Let's take a closer look.
Four key components of food nutrition labels
To unlock the secrets of nutrition labels, we’ve got to first grasp their key components. Serving size, macronutrients, micronutrients, and the ingredient list are the biggies. And each element plays a vital role in guiding us toward healthier choices.
Ingredient lists
These tell you about the contents in order of amount, from most to least. That means the first ingredient or two are really important to know. And if your instinct is that a short list of ingredients composed of things you’ve actually heard of is best, you’re right. It’s a good idea to be wary of those long lists full of hard-to-pronounce stuff.
Serving sizes
Sometimes this is pretty obvious, but it can be sneaky. Is that the amount of carbs for the whole package or just four crackers? We can’t really do a good job with portion control without making sure we understand how big a “serving” is. This info is listed right there at the top. Pay particular attention to “servings per container.”
Micronutrients
These are the vitamins and minerals we need in smaller amounts. These are listed out at the bottom of the label. If you don’t see something there, it means the food contains no significant amount of that particular vitamin or mineral.
Macronutrients
The big three: carbs, fats, and protein. Fat is given prominent billing, towards the top, with the total as well as a breakdown of how much is saturated and trans. Protein is called out on every nutritional label as well. And then there are the carbs…
Breaking down the carbohydrate section
For people managing diabetes or paying close attention to their blood sugar, this info is particularly important as carbohydrates directly impact glucose levels. Understanding carbohydrates on food labels involves distinguishing between total carbs, dietary fiber, sugars, added sugars, and sugar alcohols.
Total carbohydrates will give you the amount of carbs, in grams, in each serving. This is important as it gives you a high-level view of what’s happening, but remember: all carbs are not created equal.
That’s why you should pay particular attention to what’s underneath the total carbohydrate numbers: a breakdown of how much is sugar and how much is fiber.
For example, you might have a can of soda with 35 grams of carbs and a serving of multigrain bread with 25 grams, but these two things could not be more different. That’s because all 35 of those soda carbs are from sugar, whereas the multigrain bread is loaded with fiber and will likely have less than 5 grams of its carbs from sugar.
The last thing to note is sugar alcohols. These are things like sorbitol and xylitol, sneaky little sugar substitutes found in some foods. But here’s the scoop: just because a package screams "sugar-free," what’s inside might still pack a punch in carbs and calories. So always double-check the label for the total counts.
Know your percentages
Since we all haven’t memorized how many grams of carbs or micrograms of iron we need each day, the Percent Daily Value (%DV) can help keep us on the right track. It indicates how much of a specific nutrient one serving of the food contributes to the recommended daily intake based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
The 5/20 rule is a great tool to keep in mind. This is where less than 5% DV signifies nutrients to limit and at least 20% DV denotes nutrients to prioritize. It’s a good little trick to help you make informed decisions tailored to your health requirements and diabetes meal plan.
- No more than 5%: saturated fat, sodium, and sugars
- More than 20%: fiber and key micronutrients like vitamin D, calcium, and iron
Comparing food nutrition labels
Which of those two tomato sauces has more sugar? Which breakfast cereal has more fiber? Armed with the knowledge of interpreting nutrition labels, you can compare similar items side-by-side to see which is best for you. What better way to make shopping more fun than turning it into a competition between competing products? In the end, it’s you who wins.
Curated & reviewed by: Alexa Stelzer
RDN, CDCES, CSPO
RDN, CDCES, CSPO
Alexa Stelzer is a Clinical Digital Specialist at Dexcom, with a background in clinical dietetics and program management.
