--

How to Read the Nutrition Facts Table & Focus on the Facts

nutrition facts table

Last Friday I pulled the kids out of school early and we had the pleasure of visiting the Focus on the Facts booth at the Royal Winter Fair here in Toronto. I thought we had it all figured out but as with most things in life, there was so much more to learn. If you are more of a visual learner like me I recommend the interactive experience big time.

Walking into the fair you are immediately hit with the aroma of farm animals and food. Neither one was overwhelming but it let us know 2 things:

  1. there was food
  2. there were animals–okay it let us know 3 things
  3.  we were not going to leave anytime soon.

focus on the facts

Thanks to the well-educated and extremely friendly folks from Health Canada we got a crash course on the proper way to read food labels and why it was important. The kids had a blast doing the Plinko game over and over again and walked away with knowledge that will hopefully take them through their lifetime so that they can make informed choices when it comes to their food.

How to Read the Nutrition Facts table & Focus on the Facts

Start with Serving Size — Found under the “Nutrition Facts” header this is your first step in determining if this food is worthy of consumption. Be honest with yourself when determining how much you will eat. If the 220g bag of chips says a serving is 28 chips (50g) and you are the only one home and about to binge watch some Netflix drama that will have you emotionally eating the whole bag alone you better be multiplying the serving size by 4.5 to get realistic results. 

focus on the facts

I had to actually get our measuring cups out and a food scale to show my kids what a serving was actually. My oldest will eat two to three cups of cereal for breakfast in his favourite bowl. My oldest daughter will only eat 1/2 a cup in her favourite bowl and she will do so without any milk because she likes it dry (yuck). We were amazed at just how fast calories, carbohydrates, fats and sodium added up once we were realistic about our serving size.

Use % Daily Value — On the right side of the “Nutrition Facts table” you will see the “% Daily Value” and this is an easy way to see at a glance whether you should or shouldn’t be eating what’s in your hand. Generally, 5% Daily Value or less is little and 15% Daily Value or more is a lot.  As with above you will want to keep the % low when it comes to the bad stuff like saturated and trans fats and sodium (salt) and high on the nutrients and good stuff like fibre, Vitamin A, Calcium, and Iron. So say the can of Coke has 13% of your Daily Value for carbs (sugars) and nothing much more you are looking at empty, empty calories.

Look at a Nutrient — Everyone is different and so they all look for different nutrients. While I may be looking for more iron-rich foods to treat anemia my kids need more calcium for their growing bodies. Find WHAT nutrient you need and look for foods that are rich in it.

focus on the facts

Cliff Notes For Those Who Scan

  1. Be realistic when it comes to serving size and please do the math.
  2. Always check the % of Daily Value. 5% is low and 15%-and-up is high.
  3. Figure out what nutrient is important for you and eat lots of it.
  4. COMPARE, COMPARE, COMPARE

focus on the facts

So the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign (NFEC) is a collaboration of Health Canada, FCPC, RCC and CFIG and if you are looking for more information I urge you to head over to the Focus on the Facts website to learn more. Once there you can also put all of your new found knowledge to good use by taking the quiz and entering to win a $300 grocery gift card. But that is not all she wrote!

Giveaway

Now that you know how to read the labels, make informed food choices and **hopefully** pass that info down to your kids so they can do the same we want to help you out with your next grocery trip by hooking you up with a $100 grocery gift card. Please enter through the Gleam widget below and good luck. Open to Canadians (excluding Quebec) and will run till November 29, 2016. Good luck!
$100 Grocery Gift Card Giveaway from Nutrition Facts Education Campaign




Pin for Later:

focus on the facts

 




Follow:
I am working on a campaign to bring this information to you. All opinions are my own.
Aneta Alaei
Aneta Alaei

Aneta is a Toronto-based mom of four that loves a good meal, great company, and learning something new. In her free time, you can find her trying to keep yet another plant alive.

Find me on: Web | Twitter/X | Instagram | Facebook

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

216 Comments

  1. Anne-Marie Tvete
    November 14, 2016 / 12:47 am

    I learned that 5% Daily Value (DV) or less is a little and 15% DV or more is a lot

  2. November 14, 2016 / 12:54 am

    I learned that 5% Daily Value (DV) or less is a little and 15% DV or more is a lot

  3. M james
    November 14, 2016 / 12:58 am

    I learned that a serving size is not nessarily 1 cup.

  4. missbobloblaw
    November 14, 2016 / 1:16 am

    I’ve learned that serving size is not necessarily the suggested quantity of food you should eat. The serving size tells you the quantity of food used to calculate the numbers in the nutrition facts table.

  5. Juliee Fitze
    November 14, 2016 / 5:32 am

    I learnt to look what the serving size is.

  6. November 14, 2016 / 5:48 am

    I learned how to use the Nutrition Facts table!

  7. November 14, 2016 / 7:30 am

    I learned that 5% Daily Value (DV) or less is a little and 15% DV or more is a lot

  8. Francine
    November 14, 2016 / 7:31 am

    I learned about the percentage daily value of nutrients

  9. christine murray
    November 14, 2016 / 8:26 am

    I learned to compare the ingredients on items and I learned what is a lot and what is little or moderate when reading the percentages on the label

  10. November 14, 2016 / 8:27 am

    I learnt how to read the %’s which is so helpful.

  11. Seham M
    November 14, 2016 / 8:37 am

    I learned how to tell between different nutrition tables which ingredients have more or less of it

  12. Soozle
    November 14, 2016 / 8:45 am

    I learned about serving sizes

  13. Florence Cochrane
    November 14, 2016 / 8:48 am

    I found the interactive tool on how to compare products to give you a better understanding on the amounts of fats, sugars and fiber in a serving.

  14. Corry L.
    November 14, 2016 / 9:21 am

    I learned that there are 13 core nutrients that must be listed in a nutrition facts table.

  15. Debbie Bashford
    November 14, 2016 / 10:03 am

    the serving size tells you the quantity of food used to calculate the numbers in the nutrition facts table.

  16. BlessedTA
    November 14, 2016 / 10:14 am

    I learned how to tell between different nutrition tables

  17. ginette4
    November 14, 2016 / 10:19 am

    I learnt that I need to start paying more attention to the facts..yikes

  18. Maritess
    November 14, 2016 / 10:25 am

    I learned that one has to read the labels carefully especially the serving size because you may be comparing the nutritional value differently.

  19. Nancy
    November 14, 2016 / 10:26 am

    I learned that you have to be very careful with serving sizes as what is on the label can be very different from the amount you are actually eating.

  20. Shayna
    November 14, 2016 / 10:32 am

    I’m pretty up to speed on my Nutrition Facts so although I didn’t learn anything new it’s never a bad thing to refresh your memory 😉

  21. Thomas Kwan
    November 14, 2016 / 10:33 am

    I learned how to use the Nutrition Facts table,

  22. November 14, 2016 / 10:38 am

    I learned the website is to help make better food choices for your family!

  23. Pam
    November 14, 2016 / 10:40 am

    I learned that it is important to look at how much you are eating compared to the serving size.

  24. naiddia p
    November 14, 2016 / 10:41 am

    I learned about serving size and percentage daily value of nutrients.

  25. Gillian Morgan
    November 14, 2016 / 10:42 am

    I learned that the nutrition facts table tells you how many calories and how much of each of the 13 core nutrients are present in a Serving Size.

  26. janicour
    November 14, 2016 / 10:45 am

    Read the labels carefully especially the serving size because you may be comparing the nutritional value differently.

  27. November 14, 2016 / 11:29 am

    I learned about the percentage daily value of nutrients, which is helpful for making nutritional meals for my family.

  28. November 14, 2016 / 11:37 am

    a serving size is not always a cup

  29. Cheryl
    November 14, 2016 / 11:59 am

    I learnt that it’s very important to pay attention to serving size!

  30. November 14, 2016 / 12:06 pm

    I found out that a serving size varies from product to product.

  31. Tara Betterley
    November 14, 2016 / 12:17 pm

    Wow.. I learnt a lot but, I am still very confused.. LOL
    I tried to understand the serving size – the serving size tells you the quantity of food used to calculate the numbers in the nutrition facts table.

  32. lori n
    November 14, 2016 / 12:23 pm

    serving size is very important indicator –must always consider that first.

  33. michelle tremblett
    November 14, 2016 / 12:55 pm

    I’ve learned that a serving size is not necessarily a cup, there was some pretty great info on the site!

  34. November 14, 2016 / 1:03 pm

    I learned nutrients that provide calories are carbohydrates, fat and protein.

  35. Diane T
    November 14, 2016 / 1:06 pm

    5% Daily Value (DV) or less is a little and 15% DV or more is a lot

  36. LILLIAN BROWN
    November 14, 2016 / 1:13 pm

    I learned that a serving size is not nessarily always 1 cup

  37. Pen
    November 14, 2016 / 1:29 pm

    I think reading labels Is the key to all allergys !

  38. kristen visser
    November 14, 2016 / 1:29 pm

    I learned about serving size and how to properly read the nutrition table

  39. November 14, 2016 / 1:51 pm

    I learned about serving sizes !

  40. November 14, 2016 / 2:09 pm

    I learned about the proper serving size.

  41. ivy pluchinsky
    November 14, 2016 / 2:10 pm

    I learned that a serving size is not 1 cup.

  42. November 14, 2016 / 2:32 pm

    I learned how the serving size and the nutrient information work together in the nutrition facts table.

  43. nicky
    November 14, 2016 / 2:38 pm

    I learned that there are 13 core nutrients that must be listed in a nutrition facts table. Others are optional.

  44. Wendy hutton
    November 14, 2016 / 2:42 pm

    I learned how to read the nutritonal facts table

  45. Joshua Spiers
    November 14, 2016 / 2:58 pm

    I learned how important it is to read the nutritional information on the back of the can!

  46. Chris Hoban
    November 14, 2016 / 3:01 pm

    I learned that Waffles have a lot of Iron!

  47. Angela September
    November 14, 2016 / 3:29 pm

    we also visited the Royal Winter Fair and we loved the interactive displays, they were so informative!
    I learned to be careful and remember to look at the portion size on each label because it does change

  48. Christine Holliday
    November 14, 2016 / 3:39 pm

    I learned that it’s important to know what is in your packaged/canned food..it’s not always what it seems.

  49. jennie
    November 14, 2016 / 4:02 pm

    I learned that beverages with an alcohol content greater than .5% do not need to have a nutrition facts table by law.

  50. Kim Tanti
    November 14, 2016 / 4:15 pm

    I learned each product has a differant serving size.

  51. sarah
    November 14, 2016 / 4:26 pm

    i didnt realize that a serving size wasnt always a cup and i learned how to use the nutritional table

  52. Robyn Bellefleur
    November 14, 2016 / 4:56 pm

    I learned about what a proper serving size is.

  53. stacey dempsey
    November 14, 2016 / 5:30 pm

    I learned from their interactive tool how to compare foods on the nutrition labels. Some things like the saturated fat and trans fats I had always found a bit confusing so this was helpful

  54. Zach Bussey
    November 14, 2016 / 5:39 pm

    That an actual serving size is frustrating to me. Lol.

  55. John C
    November 14, 2016 / 5:41 pm

    I learned a little bit about reading the nutritional table.

  56. Hannasmom
    November 14, 2016 / 5:50 pm

    I learned that i have to pay attention to the serving size compared to my portion to get the correct nutritional content.

  57. Alayne Langford
    November 14, 2016 / 6:39 pm

    Holy Moly! I learned how to properly read Nutrition Tables so that I can choose my foods wisely!! 🙂

  58. Maria
    November 14, 2016 / 6:42 pm

    I learned that a serving size is not always 1 cup.

  59. verica
    November 14, 2016 / 6:56 pm

    I’ve learned that serving sizes vary from product to product.

  60. favgreen(Rhonda W G.)
    November 14, 2016 / 7:04 pm

    I will be more diligent on reading about serving size and how that factors into just what is what…

  61. Krista Miller
    November 14, 2016 / 7:07 pm

    I learned that the nutrition facts table can be used to better manage special food needs such as a low-sodium diet.

  62. Jim L
    November 14, 2016 / 7:51 pm

    I learned more about the percentage daily value of nutrients

  63. November 14, 2016 / 8:00 pm

    I learned the serving size is not necessarily the quantity of the item that you should eat.

  64. Stephanie
    November 14, 2016 / 8:11 pm

    I learned how to better read the labels on the food I’m eating

  65. loriag
    November 14, 2016 / 8:15 pm

    I learned that serving size is at the top of the Nutrition Facts table.

  66. November 14, 2016 / 8:29 pm

    When we had our kids I started reading labels more and I found them a little confusing at first. Now that I’ve been doing it for a while I feel like a have a good knowledge base. They can still be tricky if you aren’t paying attention to serving sizes, though!

  67. November 14, 2016 / 8:58 pm

    By checking a product’s serving size, I can understand how much of a nutrient I’m eating, compare calories and nutrients between 2 similar packaged food products.

  68. November 14, 2016 / 9:13 pm

    I learned that the % DV is helpful for choose products that are higher in the nutrients that one may want more of.

  69. November 14, 2016 / 9:36 pm

    I learned that using serving size and % DV to compare items between items that are similar.

  70. Lee
    November 14, 2016 / 9:48 pm

    I learned serving sizes!

  71. November 14, 2016 / 10:21 pm

    I learned about 5% DV or less is a little and 15% DV or more is a lot for all nutrients in the Nutrition Facts table

  72. Donna L.
    November 14, 2016 / 10:54 pm

    I learned about the importance of the nutrition facts table and how to use it when choosing foods.

  73. Shirley S
    November 14, 2016 / 11:27 pm

    I learned that serving size is not necessarily the suggested quantity of food you should eat. The serving size tells you the quantity of food used to calculate the numbers in the nutrition facts table.

  74. Leah
    November 14, 2016 / 11:53 pm

    I learned how to compare food products using the nutrition facts table.

  75. Rebby
    November 14, 2016 / 11:58 pm

    I learned serving size is not necessarily the whole package!

  76. BobbiJo Pentney
    November 15, 2016 / 12:14 am

    A serving size is not always what you are eating.

  77. November 15, 2016 / 4:21 am

    I learned that a serving size is not always 1 cup.

  78. Nicole B
    November 15, 2016 / 8:12 am

    I learned to look at serving sizes

  79. Nancy
    November 15, 2016 / 8:23 am

    I learned to read the serving size to understand the nutritional list correctly.

  80. November 15, 2016 / 8:41 am

    i learned how to read and understand serving sizes which is super important!

  81. Jasen H
    November 15, 2016 / 8:46 am

    I learned that you need to verify serving sizes between labels to be sure you are comparing nutrition values properly.

  82. elldubbs
    November 15, 2016 / 8:48 am

    Serving size is not always based on a one-cup serving.

  83. Deanna Barkley
    November 15, 2016 / 9:08 am

    I learned that serving size is a very important component when reading nutrition labels.

  84. November 15, 2016 / 9:18 am

    I learned how important it is to understand the serving size

  85. Kaitlyn
    November 15, 2016 / 9:24 am

    I’m studying nutrition so to be honest – I already knew all of this 🙂 It’s a great resource though!

  86. Krystal
    November 15, 2016 / 9:58 am

    I learned what a serving size actually is!

  87. krysta d
    November 15, 2016 / 10:00 am

    I learned that portion sizes vary depending on the nutritional content of a product!

  88. Ira
    November 15, 2016 / 12:52 pm

    I didn’t find anything I didn’t know already, but it was a good reminder about serving sizes, I sometimes miss checking that.

  89. Carey Hurst
    November 15, 2016 / 1:15 pm

    I learned how to compare and choose products when they are based against each other for purpose of comparison

  90. Steph
    November 15, 2016 / 1:15 pm

    I learned that the calories listed on the Nutrition Facts table are based on the Serving Size.

  91. ming
    November 15, 2016 / 1:39 pm

    Now I know what is a serving size is

  92. Linda Little
    November 15, 2016 / 2:01 pm

    I learned that the serving size on the product is not really the serving size you eat.

  93. Caryn Coates
    November 15, 2016 / 2:30 pm

    I learned about serving sizes

  94. Barb W
    November 15, 2016 / 3:17 pm

    I learned that serving sizes vary from just a standard one cup.

  95. Amy Lovell
    November 15, 2016 / 3:28 pm

    I learned how to read the nutrition labels on food products.

  96. November 15, 2016 / 3:33 pm

    I learned that serving sizes can vary.

  97. donna christiansen
    November 15, 2016 / 3:50 pm

    I learned about serving sizes.Thank You

  98. Andrea
    November 15, 2016 / 4:28 pm

    I learned about serving size & percentage daily value of nutrients!

  99. Dawn gordon
    November 15, 2016 / 4:29 pm

    I learned about serving size and reading the value of each

  100. SarahJ
    November 15, 2016 / 5:26 pm

    I am quite familiar with the nutritional table so I didn’t really learn anything new.

  101. Sarah Jackson
    November 15, 2016 / 5:28 pm

    I learned the serving size is not a suggested serving but only the size used to base the nutrition facts

  102. Donnas
    November 15, 2016 / 5:42 pm

    I learned that 5% daily value or less is a little and 15% daily value is a lot of nutrients

  103. Shelley N
    November 15, 2016 / 5:51 pm

    that the serving size on the label is not the amount recommended daily to eat.

  104. Chanel
    November 15, 2016 / 6:10 pm

    I am studying nutrition at university so I am already familiar with all of this, but it is great information which I know many people are unaware

  105. Hailey McCullough
    November 15, 2016 / 6:25 pm

    I learned that a serving size is not always a cup!

  106. Kristine Nepssy
    November 15, 2016 / 7:22 pm

    Healthy food baby! Serving sizes vary

  107. Margaret Huitema
    November 15, 2016 / 7:53 pm

    I’ve learned that I need to start reading labels!!

  108. Edmond
    November 15, 2016 / 7:54 pm

    A serving size is not nessarily 1 cup.

  109. Cathy C
    November 15, 2016 / 8:18 pm

    You need to look to see what the serving size is for the percentage they are giving.

  110. Edith Rennes
    November 15, 2016 / 8:53 pm

    The serving size is extremely important

  111. Courtney A
    November 15, 2016 / 8:55 pm

    I learned about serving sizes!

  112. Mandy
    November 15, 2016 / 9:00 pm

    I learned that everything is relative to the serving size so know what that is first before looking at the %s.

  113. Sandi Tymchuk
    November 15, 2016 / 9:15 pm

    I learned that 15% of RDI is considered a lot of a nutrient.

  114. Janice Wong
    November 15, 2016 / 9:25 pm

    Always read the label.

  115. Sara Muzzatti
    November 15, 2016 / 9:37 pm

    To read labels more carefully

  116. Glogirl
    November 15, 2016 / 9:53 pm

    I learned to pay attention to the serving size as it is different for each food item and the nutrients are based on the serving size.

  117. November 15, 2016 / 11:41 pm

    When you check a serving size, it helps you know how much of certain nutrients you are getting and how much you should consume

  118. NJ Nowoselski
    November 16, 2016 / 4:45 am

    The percentage value. I have never noticed before. It is such a good guide to know that 15% plus is “a lot” I will be checking the stats more often now

  119. SUMMER PLEWES
    November 16, 2016 / 10:42 am

    I learned that serving size is essential when reading the labels

  120. Julie
    November 16, 2016 / 11:22 am

    I learned to pay attention to the serving size.

  121. Sandy Couzens
    November 16, 2016 / 12:33 pm

    I learned 5% Daily Value or less is a little and 15% Daily Value or more is a lot. I do wish labels were easier to read. We are often rushed and tired when we are shopping and miss read labels a lot of the time. Thank you for all the Great Info !!

  122. my villa
    November 16, 2016 / 12:47 pm

    i never really understood the daily value re the serving size on the labels. now i will pay more attention

  123. Clarence L
    November 16, 2016 / 12:54 pm

    I learned that the % value is per serving size!

  124. Brenda Penton
    November 16, 2016 / 3:09 pm

    I learned that the Serving size is not necessarily the suggested quantity of food you should eat.

  125. Kristi
    November 16, 2016 / 4:57 pm

    I learned to always be mindful of the serving size when looking at nutrient values.

  126. sara lima
    November 16, 2016 / 5:20 pm

    I sort of try to be ‘in it’ as pertains to the deck (what I call the nutritional table – I hang around a lot of gym rats!), but the one thing that really had me up in arms, is that you may not be able to tell how much of the product equals a serving size – and if the total item has like 2.75 servings, you’ve lost me, lol. I’m grumpy.

  127. Linda Svarovsky
    November 16, 2016 / 6:07 pm

    Always read the label and consider serving size

  128. Carol M
    November 16, 2016 / 6:11 pm

    I learned that the Serving size is not necessarily the suggested quantity of food you should eat. Note to self when eating handfuls of chips. LOL

  129. butterflyamyc
    November 16, 2016 / 6:20 pm

    I learned that I should start with the serving size.

  130. 409cope
    November 16, 2016 / 6:21 pm

    I learned that 15% DV or more is a lot of a nutrient for a serving size.

  131. November 16, 2016 / 7:22 pm

    I learnt that if you want more fibre in your diet, a whole wheat pasta would be best!

  132. Raz
    November 16, 2016 / 8:01 pm

    Learned how to understand serving size and daily value

  133. Shane S
    November 16, 2016 / 8:42 pm

    i learned to pay attention to the serving sizes!

  134. nicole aben
    November 16, 2016 / 10:33 pm

    I learned to look for the serving sizes on the label.

  135. November 16, 2016 / 10:35 pm

    I got 4 right out of 4 so I’ve been learning all about nutrition and it has payed off

  136. Mike Gismondi
    November 16, 2016 / 11:12 pm

    I learned that you have to take the serving size into account when reading the label.

  137. Allison Germain
    November 16, 2016 / 11:51 pm

    I learned that the serving size is for calculating nutritional values; it is not meant to be a recommended amount to consume

  138. November 17, 2016 / 12:01 am

    I learned that a serving size can be listed on the Nutrition Facts table as a fraction, number of pieces, or a household measure.

  139. Linda
    November 17, 2016 / 1:01 am

    I learned that serving size is not necessarily the suggested quantity of food you should eat, but the quantity of food used to calculate the numbers in the nutrition facts table.

  140. Ryan B
    November 17, 2016 / 2:15 am

    I learned that the Serving Size of a product is not necessarily the suggested quantity of food you should eat in one sitting… Which I find interesting to say the least

  141. Victoria Ess
    November 17, 2016 / 7:27 am

    I learned how to interpret the DVs.

  142. angela m
    November 17, 2016 / 9:33 am

    I learned that Serving size is not necessarily the suggested quantity of food you should eat.

  143. Lynn M
    November 17, 2016 / 2:26 pm

    I learned I should read the question more carefully and quizzes are fun! Nutrition labels are very extensive and useful.

  144. lori b
    November 17, 2016 / 2:34 pm

    i have learned more about actual serving sizes

  145. Stephanie m
    November 17, 2016 / 2:36 pm

    I learned serving sizes is not suggesting you eat that much

  146. edmontonjb
    November 17, 2016 / 4:15 pm

    I learned that the serving size is most important because the entire chart is built from that amount.

    ~Jonnie

  147. Jennifer
    November 17, 2016 / 6:28 pm

    I learned how important it is to understand the serving size

  148. November 17, 2016 / 9:50 pm

    I learned that Serving Size varies by product, but is always listed as a common household measure along with grams or millilitres

  149. Erinn Lishman
    November 17, 2016 / 10:12 pm

    I learned how important it is to understand serving size in relation to calories and nutrient information!

  150. Denae Boucher
    November 17, 2016 / 10:12 pm

    I learned that 15% DV is a lot!

  151. intensev5
    November 17, 2016 / 10:13 pm

    I really like the Interactive tool: How to choose – so helpful!
    Entry form name: Marlene V.

  152. Tina L.
    November 18, 2016 / 3:43 am

    I learned about servings size

  153. Erica Seaman
    November 18, 2016 / 7:51 am

    The serving size is often not the whole package size.

  154. kathy downey
    November 18, 2016 / 4:37 pm

    I learned that 5% Daily Value (DV) or less is a little and 15% DV or more is a lot !

  155. Tracy D
    November 18, 2016 / 5:04 pm

    It’s a good reminder to check the serving size, we often think the package is the serving.

  156. November 18, 2016 / 5:51 pm

    I learned that serving size is important! I often eat more than is recommended.

  157. tracy k
    November 18, 2016 / 6:58 pm

    i learned that you need to take serving size into account when you’re looking at the nutrition label.

  158. thomas rusinak
    November 18, 2016 / 7:02 pm

    I learned Chedder is purer the cottage cheese!

  159. Wayne Lecoy
    November 19, 2016 / 10:51 am

    It would be terrific to win a $100 Grocery Gift Card.
    In response to your requirement to visit the Focus on the Facts website
    and let you know something that i learned.
    I learned about nutrition claims.
    There are two types of nutrition claims on foods: nutrient content claims and health claims.
    These claims must also follow certain rules from Health Canada to make sure that they are consistent
    and not misleading. These claims are optional and may be found on some food products.

    Nutrient content claims describe the amount of a nutrient in a food.
    A good source of iron is an example of a nutrient content claim.

    Health claims are statements about the helpful effects of a certain food consumed within a healthy diet on a person’s health. For example, a healthy diet containing foods high in potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, a risk factor for stroke and heart disease is a health claim.
    Thank you for having this giveaway.

  160. Sausan
    November 19, 2016 / 11:08 am

    15% Daily Value (DV) or more is a lot of nutrients

  161. November 19, 2016 / 11:23 pm

    I didn’t know there was more calcium in a portion of cheddar cheese than cottage cheese

  162. Janet M
    November 20, 2016 / 10:56 am

    I learned about serving sizes.

  163. michelle matta
    November 20, 2016 / 12:56 pm

    I learned that a serving size is not necessarily what i want it to be… or what seems logical (eg.. often, the whole package is logical to me.. but its not lol..

  164. November 20, 2016 / 2:33 pm

    I learned how to better understand reading the labels.

  165. November 20, 2016 / 3:11 pm

    What I learned is the lack of knowledge people have about nutrition, food and what they put in their bodies. It’s really sad. I am happy for this initiative and that its focusing on kids. The one thing that stands out is how much sodium, fat and fillers processed food contains; that purer, more natural foods are also higher in nutrients and vitamins.

  166. Sunshine G
    November 20, 2016 / 3:53 pm

    Serving sizes vary based on the product.

  167. November 20, 2016 / 4:07 pm

    I learned how to properly read the labels. I NEVER knew just how to do it. Once I got the hang of it though it became pretty simple.

  168. Wendy Jensen
    November 20, 2016 / 4:18 pm

    I learned that you really have to read carefully.

  169. Karry Knisley
    November 20, 2016 / 5:33 pm

    I learned how to use the Nutrition facts table

  170. Kelly H
    November 20, 2016 / 7:25 pm

    I learned to use the Nutrition Facts Table

  171. Lisa McLain
    November 20, 2016 / 7:54 pm

    Nutrition facts table and that a serving is not always a cup

  172. SweetPanda
    November 20, 2016 / 8:31 pm

    The serving size might not always be 1 cup and need to pay attention to serving size when compare two different products of the same kind

  173. Kevin L
    November 20, 2016 / 10:12 pm

    I learned that 15% daily value or more is considered a lot of a nutrient.

  174. Jennifer P.
    November 20, 2016 / 10:34 pm

    I didn’t really learn anything new, as I have been reading labels for a long time now, but it was a good reminder to always look at the serving size when comparing items. I am often rushed, or dividing my attention between the shopping and the kids, so it is easy to just look at the numbers and forget to consider the serving size, which is super important!

  175. November 20, 2016 / 11:04 pm

    I learned how to use the Nutrition Facts table!
    thanks for the tips

  176. November 21, 2016 / 3:16 am

    I learned that serving size is not the suggestion for what a serving size should be but rather just the amount of the product they’ve used to calculate nutritional information.

  177. Irene Eichler
    November 21, 2016 / 12:11 pm

    I learned about serving sizes !

  178. Kim K
    November 21, 2016 / 8:56 pm

    I learned to look more closely at serving sizes

  179. shannong
    November 22, 2016 / 12:36 pm

    I learned that serving size is not what i decide it is different on each label

  180. Allie f
    November 22, 2016 / 4:45 pm

    I learned there are 13 nutrients that must be listed on the Nutrition Table.

  181. Lynne M
    November 23, 2016 / 6:40 am

    I leraned this: The Serving Size of a product is not necessarily the suggested quantity of food you should eat in one sitting.

  182. Janet P.
    November 23, 2016 / 2:21 pm

    I learned that a serving size varies depending on what product it is.

  183. Melinda
    November 23, 2016 / 7:38 pm

    Serving sizes vary based on the product.

  184. Nicole Jubleew
    November 24, 2016 / 12:34 am

    I learned how to use the % Daily Value to compare similar products so that I can make the healthier choice.

  185. Clair Palmer
    November 24, 2016 / 9:34 am

    I learned about serving size and % daily value of nutrients.

  186. Jody D
    November 24, 2016 / 9:54 am

    I learned more about the percentage daily values on labels!

  187. Amie
    November 24, 2016 / 10:18 am

    I learned what a serving size really means !

  188. Natalie
    November 24, 2016 / 11:13 am

    I learned that a “serving size” is really just a unit of measure – not necessarily the amount you should be eating

  189. William Ng
    November 24, 2016 / 12:41 pm

    I learned that 5% Daily Value (DV) or less is a little and 15% DV or more is a lot

  190. jan
    November 24, 2016 / 2:39 pm

    I learned that it really isn’t that easy to read and compare!

  191. November 24, 2016 / 3:50 pm

    I learned to compare and read labels properly.

  192. Lee Mckeon
    November 24, 2016 / 5:54 pm

    Wow I learned about serving sizes I was way off!

  193. lisa neutel
    November 24, 2016 / 6:51 pm

    I learned that a single serving size is not just one cup

  194. DORIS HUMBER
    November 25, 2016 / 11:13 am

    I learned that I need to pay closer attention to the daily %.

  195. Lucy
    November 25, 2016 / 11:45 am

    I learned about the importance of serving size.

  196. Tara Gauthier
    November 26, 2016 / 4:39 am

    I learned about proper serving sizes and why it’s important to follow them, which I need to work on.

  197. leana
    November 26, 2016 / 12:05 pm

    I learnt to always check serving size!

  198. Brenda Witherspoon-Bedard
    November 26, 2016 / 9:56 pm

    I learned that you have to be careful with serving sizes

  199. marie s
    November 26, 2016 / 10:44 pm

    I learned about the daily value of 5% is good and greater than 15 is bad

  200. maria
    November 26, 2016 / 11:20 pm

    I learned about servings and sizings.

  201. Treen Goodwin
    November 27, 2016 / 10:43 am

    I learned that a serving size is way smaller than i that , wow was i wrong 🙂

  202. Wanda Bee
    November 27, 2016 / 6:16 pm

    I learned that there is a tool to learn how to compare food products using the nutrition facts table.

  203. Julie bolduc
    November 28, 2016 / 8:47 am

    I learned how to use the Nutrition Facts table!!!

  204. Laurie W.
    November 28, 2016 / 10:30 am

    I learned that not all serving sizes are the same and you should take that into account when comparing food nutrition labels.

  205. Linda DeMunck
    November 28, 2016 / 9:07 pm

    I learned that each product has different serving sizes, which can be confusing when i do comparisons and to look for a daily value of between 5% and 15%.

  206. Jolie
    November 28, 2016 / 9:53 pm

    I leaned that the serving size is not the size of a portion and how to better read the labels.

  207. Ariel C
    November 29, 2016 / 2:36 am

    I learned how to read the nutrition facts table!

  208. Erin McSweeney
    November 29, 2016 / 3:15 pm

    i learned what a serving size is

  209. suzan mccombe
    November 29, 2016 / 10:01 pm

    I learned about serving sizes

  210. KellyPC
    November 29, 2016 / 10:59 pm

    I didn’t realize serving sizes were so tiny!

  211. Tammi L.
    October 2, 2018 / 10:30 pm

    You know, I find the serving sizes so unrealistic… I have never seen anyone only eat 1/4 of a box of KD or 28 chips. I know that those little bags of long grain and wild rice that cooks in the microwave for 90 seconds will barely feed my husband and daughter – and it only works because they are conscience they have to share it – no way would 4 people eat from it. Maybe we eat too much but seriously, my daughter is thin so I don’t know???

  212. Shirley OFlynn
    April 24, 2019 / 5:05 pm

    Very informative article. Thank you for sharing.

  213. JoKing
    April 28, 2019 / 12:53 pm

    Wow that is a lot of things I never thought of. Checking labels is important.