The % Daily Value (%DV) shows how much a nutrient in one serving contributes to a 2,000-calorie reference diet, using the FDA's 2020 Daily Values. Enter a nutrient amount below to see its %DV: 5% or less is low, 20% or more is high. This calculator uses the same reference amounts printed on every Nutrition Facts label.

Nutrient SodiumDietary fiberAdded sugarsProteinTotal fatSaturated fatTotal carbohydrateCalciumIronPotassium Amount mg

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How does percent Daily Value work?

The percent Daily Value puts a nutrient amount on a common scale: it expresses how much one serving contributes toward a full day's reference intake. The reference figures come from the FDA and are the same numbers anchoring the Nutrition Facts label, so a food listing twenty percent of the Daily Value for fiber delivers a fifth of the daily target in that serving. A widely used rule of thumb treats five percent or less as low and twenty percent or more as high, which turns the label into a quick screen for nutrients to seek out, like fiber and potassium, and nutrients to limit, like sodium and saturated fat.

The reference values assume a 2,000-calorie daily pattern and apply to adults and children aged four and older. Individual needs differ with age, sex, activity, pregnancy, and medical conditions, so the Daily Value is a labelling benchmark rather than a personal prescription. To turn these percentages into real foods, look up any item on GetFoodFacts and read its FDA-format label, or line two foods up side by side to compare their contributions.

The "top USDA whole-food source" shown above the calculator is pulled live from the GetFoodFacts database (April 2026 release), the same USDA FoodData Central data underlying every food page on the site.