Nutrition Facts on food and beverage products detail nutritional content according to serving size, including macronutrients, micronutrients, and calorie count. Serving size, servings per container, and PDV are listed. Micronutrients are broken down, and PDV expresses the recommended daily allowance.
A nutrition table, labeled on food and beverage products as Nutrition Facts, details the nutritional content of the food within the package according to a predetermined serving size. The nutrients represented in the table include the macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat, and protein), the micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, and the total calorie count as determined by the sum of calories from each macronutrient. These nutrients are expressed in both grams per serving and percent daily value (PDV). PDV represents the percentage of the daily recommended amount of a nutrient consumed, for a 2,000 calorie diet, contained in one serving of the food or drink.
The macronutrients and micronutrients listed in the nutrition table are further broken down. Carbohydrates are further subdivided into simple sugars, other carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. Fats are separated into saturated fat, unsaturated fat, trans fat, and dietary cholesterol. The predominant micronutrients listed are sodium and potassium, with other vitamin and mineral values listed at the bottom of the table.
The serving size of the food on the package is shown at the top of the table, which can contain multiple serving sizes inside. Serving size is expressed in teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, or ounces. Below the serving size the servings per container are listed, and below this the calories per serving. This point is where the PDV is found adjacent to each listed nutrient. Each nutrient represented by the nutrition table is expressed as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance as determined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
For example, if a drink contains 35 milligrams of sodium, and the PDV is listed as one percent, then the RDA for sodium is 3,500 milligrams. The same is true for other nutrients considered high risk if consumed in excess, such as fat and cholesterol: the number of grams per serving is accompanied by a PDV that expresses a limitation on the amount of that nutrient a person should consume. However, nutrients such as protein for which daily requirements vary from person to person are not accompanied by a POV. Instead, only the value of grams per serving is listed.
The amounts of vitamins such as C and K and minerals such as iron and calcium are reported at the bottom of the nutrition table. These are not listed in micrograms or milligrams, but only as a PDV. If the table lists a value of 20 percent for calcium, then the food supplies one-fifth of the recommended daily requirement for calcium.
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