Learn about the nutrition facts table and how to use it, including information on serving size, calories and percent daily value (% DV).
On this page
- What is the nutrition facts table
- How to use the nutrition facts table
What is the nutrition facts table
Most packaged foods in Canada must have a nutrition facts table, which shows:
- the serving size
- how many calories are in that serving size
- the amount of 12 nutrients expressed in units like grams (g) and milligrams (mg), per serving size
- percent daily values (% DVs)
How to use the nutrition facts table
The information in the nutrition facts table is based on the serving size. The serving size is not a recommendation of how much of the food you should eat.
The % DV is a quick reference to tell you if a food product contains a little or a lot of a certain nutrient:
- 5% DV or less is a little
- 15% DV or more is a lot
Use the % DV to compare different food products to help you make informed food choices.
The nutrition facts table can help you to identify nutrients you may want to limit, such as:
- sodium
- sugars
- saturated fat
The nutrition facts table can also help you to identify nutrients you may want more of, such as:
- iron
- fibre
- calcium
- potassium
Learn more about the table of daily values that are used to calculate the % DV.
Food products without a nutrition facts table
Some products don't have to display a nutrition facts table, including:
- alcoholic beverages
- fresh fruits and vegetables
- refillable glass dairy containers
- very small packages, such as one-bite candy
- raw, single-ingredient meat, poultry, fish and seafood (except ground meat)
- items with insignificant calories and nutrients, such as herbs and spices
- food sold by small-batch producers, such as those sold at craft shows and farmer's markets
- food sold only in grocery stores where the product is prepared or packaged in-store
- individual portions for immediate consumption, such as a sandwich or muffin sold in plastic wrap
Restaurants and food service businesses don't need to provide a nutrition facts table with their products.
