Guide
The % Daily Value, explained
The % Daily Value on a label is how much of a nutrient one serving gives, as a share of a fixed reference amount FDA sets for adults and children 4 and over; 5% or less is low, 20% or more is high.
Published · By GetFoodFacts · the rules are cited to FDA and USDA, the figures computed from USDA FoodData Central (April 30, 2026 release)
How it is calculated
The label divides the amount in one serving by the nutrient's Daily Value and rounds: 460 mg of sodium over the 2,300 mg Daily Value is 20%. The Daily Values are fixed in the labeling rule (21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv) and (c)(9)); they are reference amounts, not personal targets, which is why the footnote mentions 2,000 calories a day.
Every Daily Value on the label
| Nutrient | Daily Value | Low (5%) | High (20%) | USDA foods with 20% in a portion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium | 1,300 mg | 65 mg | 260 mg | 212 |
| Carbohydrate | 275 g | 14 g | 55 g | |
| Cholesterol | 300 mg | 15 mg | 60 mg | 1,338 |
| Choline | 550 mg | 28 mg | 110 mg | 153 |
| Copper | 1 mg | 0.0 mg | 0.2 mg | 722 |
| Fat | 78 g | 3.9 g | 16 g | 375 |
| Fiber | 28 g | 1.4 g | 5.6 g | 282 |
| Folate | 400 µg DFE | 20 µg DFE | 80 µg DFE | 421 |
| Iron | 18 mg | 0.9 mg | 3.6 mg | 303 |
| Magnesium | 420 mg | 21 mg | 84 mg | 157 |
| Manganese | 2 mg | 0.1 mg | 0.5 mg | 387 |
| Niacin | 16 mg | 0.8 mg | 3.2 mg | 1,437 |
| Phosphorus | 1,250 mg | 63 mg | 250 mg | 422 |
| Potassium | 4,700 mg | 235 mg | 940 mg | 37 |
| Protein | 50 g | 2.5 g | 10 g | 1,742 |
| Riboflavin | 1 mg | 0.1 mg | 0.3 mg | 730 |
| Saturated fat | 20 g | 1.0 g | 4.0 g | 646 |
| Selenium | 55 µg | 2.8 µg | 11 µg | 1,699 |
| Sodium | 2,300 mg | 115 mg | 460 mg | 436 |
| Thiamin | 1 mg | 0.1 mg | 0.2 mg | 615 |
| Vitamin A | 900 µg RAE | 45 µg RAE | 180 µg RAE | 289 |
| Vitamin B12 | 2 µg | 0.1 µg | 0.5 µg | 1,558 |
| Vitamin B6 | 2 mg | 0.1 mg | 0.3 mg | 963 |
| Vitamin C | 90 mg | 4.5 mg | 18 mg | 505 |
| Vitamin D | 20 µg | 1.0 µg | 4.0 µg | 61 |
| Vitamin E | 15 mg | 0.8 mg | 3.0 mg | 143 |
| Vitamin K | 120 µg | 6.0 µg | 24 µg | 380 |
| Zinc | 11 mg | 0.6 mg | 2.2 mg | 1,088 |
Source: 21 CFR 101.9(c); USDA FoodData Central, April 30, 2026 release (typical portions: USDA's NLEA serving or the household measure nearest FDA's reference amount).
The 5% and 20% rule
FDA's shortcut: a serving with 5% DV or less of a nutrient is low in it, 20% DV or more is high. Aim low for saturated fat, sodium and added sugars, and high for fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium. Label claims use the same line: "high in" or "excellent source" means 20% DV or more per serving, "good source" 10% to 19% (21 CFR 101.54).
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, "How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label" (fda.gov); 21 CFR 101.9.
How to read a Nutrition Facts label
Sources for this page
- USDA FoodData Central
- the food and product records, April 30, 2026 release. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies
- the survey foods and their portions. ars.usda.gov
- 21 CFR 101.9, Nutrition labeling of food
- the label format, rounding and Daily Values. ecfr.gov
- 21 CFR 101.12, Reference amounts customarily consumed
- the serving each kind of food is labeled by. ecfr.gov
- FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
- the Daily Values in a table. fda.gov