August 2023 — 1
What’s in it for you?
Daily Value and Percent
Daily Value on the Nutrition and
Supplement Facts Labels
The Nutrition and Supplement Facts labels on packaged foods and dietary supplements
can make it easier for you to make informed choices. Read on to learn more about the
Daily Value and % Daily Value. For a complete list of the Daily Values for all nutrients,
check out the Reference Guide below.
Daily Value vs. % Daily Value
First, let’s look at how Daily Value (DV) and Percent Daily Value (%DV) work together. DVs are the
recommended amounts of nutrients to consume or not to exceed each day. The %DV is how much a
nutrient in a single serving of an individual packaged food or dietary supplement contributes to your
daily diet. For example, if the DV for a certain nutrient is 300 micrograms (mcg) and a packaged food
or supplement has 30mcg in one serving, the %DV for that nutrient in a serving of the product would
be 10%. If you ate one serving of the product, you would have met 10% of your need for that nutrient
in a day and could consume other foods or supplements to get the other 90%.
August 2023 — 2
Learn more about the Nutrition Facts label at: www.FDA.gov/NutritionFactsLabel
Which Nutrients Are Required to Be Listed on
the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels?
The Nutrition Facts label must list total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total
carbohydrate, dietary ber, total sugars, added sugars, protein, and certain vitamins and minerals.
While the actual amount and %DV of vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium must be listed, other
vitamins and minerals may be listed voluntarily by the manufacturer. However, they are required to
list any vitamins and minerals that are added to the food or if a statement is made on the package
labeling about their health effects or the amount contained in the food (for example, “high” or “low”).
Similarly, the Supplement Facts label is required to list the same nutrients as the Nutrition Facts label
when any of these nutrients are found in the supplement in an amount considered to be greater than
zero. For more information, see 21 CFR 101.9(c).
Use %DV to determine if a serving
of the food is high or low in an
individual nutrient. As a general
guide:
• 5% DV or less of a nutrient per
serving is considered low.
• 20% DV or more of a nutrient
per serving is considered high.
More often, choose foods
that are:
• Higher in dietary ber,
vitamin D, calcium, iron, and
potassium.
• Lower in saturated fat, sodium,
and added sugars.
TIP
August 2023 — 3
Learn more about the Nutrition Facts label at: www.FDA.gov/NutritionFactsLabel
Reference Guide: Daily Values for Nutrients
Here is a handy reference guide for all the Daily Values on the Nutrition Facts and Supplement
Facts labels.
g = grams
mg = milligrams
mcg = micrograms
mg NE = milligrams of niacin equivalents
mcg DFE = micrograms of dietary folate equivalents
mcg RAE = micrograms of retinol activity equivalents
IU = international units
Units of
Measure Key
Nutrient Current Daily Value
Added sugars 50g
Biotin 30mcg
Calcium 1300mg
Chloride 2300mg
Choline 550mg
Cholesterol 300mg
Chromium 35mcg
Copper 0.9mg
Dietary Fiber 28g
Fat 78g
Folate/Folic Acid 400mcg DFE
Iodine 150mcg
Iron 18mg
August 2023 — 4
Learn more about the Nutrition Facts label at: www.FDA.gov/NutritionFactsLabel
Nutrient Current Daily Value
Magnesium 420mg
Manganese 2.3mg
Molybdenum 45mcg
Niacin 16mg NE
Pantothenic Acid 5mg
Phosphorus 1250mg
Potassium 4700mg
Protein 50g
Riboavin 1.3mg
Saturated fat 20g
Selenium 55mcg
Sodium 2300mg
Thiamin 1.2mg
Total carbohydrate 275g
Vitamin A 900mcg RAE
Vitamin B6 1.7mg
Vitamin B12 2.4mcg
Vitamin C 90mg
Vitamin D 20mcg
Vitamin E 15mg alpha-tocopherol
Vitamin K 120mcg
Zinc 11mg
