A grocery store aisle can be filled with products making claims such as “high in fibre,” “reduced sodium,” or “no added sugar.” While these statements may be helpful, they do not always provide the complete picture.
Most prepackaged foods in Canada include a Nutrition Facts table showing the serving size, calories, nutrient amounts, and percent daily values. Foods with more than one ingredient also generally include an ingredient list. Used together, these sections can help you compare products and make choices that reflect your health needs, preferences, culture, and budget.
Food labels are not meant to divide foods into “good” and “bad” categories. Instead, they provide information that can help you understand what a product contains and how it may fit into your overall eating habits.
Before looking at calories or nutrients, check the serving size at the top of the Nutrition Facts table. Every number underneath it is based on that amount of food.
Serving size represents an amount that people typically eat at one time. It is not necessarily a recommendation for how much you should eat. Your actual portion may be smaller or larger depending on your appetite, health needs, and how the food is being used. (Canada)
For example, imagine a cereal label provides nutrition information for one cup, but you normally eat two cups. You would be consuming approximately twice the listed calories, sugars, sodium, fibre, and other nutrients.
When comparing two similar products, make sure their serving sizes are reasonably close. Comparing a half-cup serving of one product with a full-cup serving of another can make one option appear lower in certain nutrients simply because the listed amount is smaller.
The percent daily value, shown as % DV, is one of the quickest ways to understand a Nutrition Facts table. It indicates whether the listed serving contains a little or a lot of a nutrient.
Health Canada recommends using the following guide:
This guideline applies to nutrients throughout the table. You can use it to look for less sodium, sugars, and saturated fat, or to identify products with more fibre, calcium, iron, and potassium. (Canada)
Your individual nutritional needs may be different from the standardized daily values used on labels. However, the % DV remains a helpful tool for comparing similar products.
For example, if two soups have similar serving sizes but one contains 8% DV of sodium and the other contains 25% DV, the first option contains considerably less sodium per serving.
Calories describe how much energy a serving of food provides, but they do not tell you everything about its nutritional value.
Two foods with a similar number of calories may contain very different amounts of fibre, protein, sugars, sodium, saturated fat, vitamins, and minerals. This is why it is helpful to review the entire Nutrition Facts table rather than making a decision based only on the calorie number.
Consider what role the food will play in your meal or snack. A product containing fibre and protein may provide something different from a product with the same calories but little fibre or protein. The best choice depends on your bodys needs and what else you are eating throughout the day.
Canada’s Dietary Guidelines identify sodium, free sugars, and saturated fat as nutrients of concern. Food labels can help you compare prepared and processed foods and choose options containing less of these nutrients when possible.
Sodium is found in salt, but much of the sodium people consume can also come from prepared and packaged foods. Products such as soups, sauces, frozen meals, deli meats, breads, and snack foods can vary significantly in sodium content.
Check both the milligrams and the % DV. A product with 5% DV or less has a little sodium per serving, while 15% DV or more is considered a lot.
A product does not need to taste noticeably salty to contain a significant amount of sodium, so the label provides more reliable information than taste alone.
The sugars line in the Nutrition Facts table shows the total sugars in one serving. This can include sugars naturally present in ingredients, as well as sugars that were added during processing.
Use the % DV to compare similar products. Health Canada considers 5% DV or less to be a little sugar and 15% DV or more to be a lot.
To understand whether sugars have been added, check the ingredient list. Sugars-based ingredients are grouped together in brackets after the word “Sugars.” Examples may include sugar, glucose, corn syrup, molasses, fruit juice concentrate, or other sweetening ingredients. Their position in the list helps show their amount relative to the product’s other ingredients.
Saturated fat appears near the top of the Nutrition Facts table, together with trans fat. The % DV can help you compare similar products and identify which has less per serving.
Canada’s Food Guide recommends choosing foods with healthy fats instead of saturated fat and selecting prepared foods with little to no added saturated fat when possible. (Canada)
This does not mean a single food must have the lowest possible number. Consider how often you eat it, the amount you typically consume, and the rest of your eating pattern.
Food labels can also help you identify foods that provide nutrients such as
Health Canada identifies these as nutrients people may want more of and recommends using the % DV to determine whether a product contains a little or a lot. (Canada)
Fibre is found in foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, and seeds. When comparing breads, cereals, crackers, or other grain products, check the fibre amount and % DV.
A package may use terms such as “multigrain” or display pictures of grains, but these design elements do not necessarily tell you how much fibre the product provides. The Nutrition Facts table and ingredient list offer more useful information.
Protein is listed in grams in the Nutrition Facts table. You can compare the amount in similar products, particularly when choosing items intended to be part of a meal or filling snack.
Protein needs vary, and a higher number does not automatically make one product the best choice. Consider protein alongside fibre, sodium, sugars, saturated fat, ingredients, and serving size.
The Nutrition Facts table commonly shows potassium, calcium, and iron. Use the 5% and 15% guidelines to see whether the product contains a little or a lot of each nutrient.
Some products may also include additional vitamins or minerals, particularly when a nutrient has been added or the package makes a related claim.
The ingredient list explains what the food is made from. Ingredients generally appear in descending order by weight, beginning with the ingredient that weighs the most and ending with the one that weighs the least.
This means the first few ingredients usually make up a larger proportion of the product. Some ingredients, including certain flavours, additives, seasonings, vitamins, and minerals, may appear near the end in a different order. (Canada)
Use the list to:
A shorter ingredient list is not automatically healthier, and a longer list is not automatically unsafe. Some products contain several herbs, spices, vitamins, or functional ingredients. Focus on what the ingredients are, where key ingredients appear, and whether the product meets your needs.
For people with food allergies, celiac disease, or other food-related conditions, reading the ingredient and allergen information is essential.
In Canada, priority allergens and gluten sources must be identified in the ingredient list, in a statement beginning with “Contains,” or both. A “May contain” statement may be used when there is a possibility of cross-contamination during production.
Priority allergens in Canada include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, soy, wheat, triticale, mustard, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and sulphites. Gluten sources include wheat, barley, rye, oats, and triticale. (Canadian Food Inspection Agency)
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recommends checking the label every time you purchase a product because manufacturers can change ingredients or production processes. Someone with a diagnosed allergy should not assume a familiar product is still safe based only on previous purchases.
As of January 1, 2026, most prepackaged foods that meet or exceed established thresholds for saturated fat, sugars, or sodium must display a front-of-package nutrition symbol.
The black-and-white symbol includes a magnifying glass and identifies whether a product is:
The symbol is designed to help shoppers identify these nutrients quickly without needing to study the entire Nutrition Facts table first.
Use the symbol as a signal to look more closely at the product. It does not mean the food can never be eaten, but it can help you compare options and consider serving size and frequency.
The absence of a symbol does not automatically mean a product is low in every nutrient or is the best choice for you. Certain products are exempt from displaying it, including some plain dairy products, raw single-ingredient foods, small packages, and products used primarily as ingredients, such as butter, sugar, salt, honey, maple syrup, and cooking oils. (Canada)
Food packages may include regulated claims such as:
Foods must meet specific requirements to use regulated nutrient content claims. However, a claim usually highlights only one feature of the product. Health Canada recommends reviewing the full Nutrition Facts table and ingredient list even when a package includes a nutrition claim. (Canada)
For example, a product described as a “source of fibre” may still contain a significant amount of sodium or sugars. A “reduced sodium” product may have less sodium than a comparable product, but you should still check the amount and % DV per serving.
Similarly, “no added sugar” does not mean sugar-free. The claim means the product meets Canadian requirements related to added sugars-based ingredients. It may still contain sugars naturally present in ingredients, so check the total sugars in the Nutrition Facts table.
Be especially cautious with broad terms, logos, or package descriptions such as “smart,” “healthy,” or “sensible.” Health Canada notes that vague claims and symbols not issued by Health Canada may not provide useful nutritional information. (Canada)
You do not need to examine every number each time you shop. A simple routine can make label reading more manageable:
There is no single label-reading strategy that is right for everyone. A person managing an allergy may focus first on the ingredient and allergen statements. Someone who has been advised to reduce sodium may prioritize the sodium % DV. Another person may be looking for more fibre, calcium, iron, potassium, or protein.
Your priorities may also depend on your medications, health conditions, age, activity level, cultural food traditions, and overall eating habits. A healthcare professional or registered dietitian can help you understand which label information is most relevant to your health.
Learning to read food labels can make grocery shopping feel less confusing. Start with the serving size, use the percent daily value, review the ingredient list, and look beyond marketing statements on the front of the package.
You do not need to find a perfect product every time. Food labels are simply tools that can help you compare options and make more informed choices within an eating pattern that is realistic, enjoyable, and appropriate for you.
MembersHealth members can connect with the Care Team for guidance related to nutrition, health conditions, medications, and other factors that may affect food choices.
Depending on your program, MembersHealth can also help connect you with available nutrition support and personalized guidance. A healthcare professional can help you understand which nutrients to focus on and how food choices may fit into your broader care plan.