Question on food labels

Annadel

this may sound very funny but I do have thus question regarding food labels. When reading a label it says 16% of daily value of protein, does it mean 16% of daily intake of protein or 16% of daily total calories?

withchaco

16% daily intake, assuming 50g for total daily intake (which is low, I believe, especially for people on caloric deficit)

Pandorian

the 16% usually states that it's "based on a 2000 calorie a day diet" and would be the "amount" of that item that your goal would be on a standardized "diet"

You can use the % DV to compare two different food products and make a better choice for you.

Or you can use the % DV to choose products that are higher in the nutrients you want more of and lower in the nutrients you want less of.

A good indicator for "what" the % refers to... add the DV percentages together... they don't equal 100% right? because EACH line has it's own daily value goal....
or better worded as

The % DVs shown in a Nutrition Facts table do not add up to 100%. Each vitamin and mineral in the Nutrition Facts table has its own Daily Value.

Note: The Daily Values for vitamins and minerals are based on the 1983 Recommended Nutrient Intakes for Canadians and can be found in the Food and Drug regulations.

Note: The Daily Values for Fat, Carbohydrate and Protein are based on a 2000 calorie reference diet.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet/nutrition/cons/dv-vq/info-eng.php#howare

taso42_DELETED

"For people four years or older, eating 2,000 calories per day".
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reference_Daily_Intake

If you're using MFP there isn't much point in paying any attention to those percent of recommended daily numbers. Just hit the targets you have set up here.

Annadel

Thank you for the explaination!