FDA Nutrition Labels: What You Need to Know in 2026
The FDA Nutrition Facts label is required on most packaged foods in the United States. Updated in 2020 to reflect modern dietary science, it now requires added sugars to be listed separately and uses updated Daily Values based on newer nutritional research.
How Daily Values (DV%) Work
Daily Values are reference amounts based on a 2,000-calorie diet. The %DV tells you how much one serving contributes to your daily nutrient intake. Key reference values:
- Total Fat: 78g (100% DV)
- Saturated Fat: 20g (100% DV)
- Cholesterol: 300mg (100% DV)
- Sodium: 2,300mg (100% DV)
- Total Carbohydrate: 275g (100% DV)
- Dietary Fiber: 28g (100% DV)
- Added Sugars: 50g (100% DV)
- Vitamin D: 20mcg · Calcium: 1,300mg · Iron: 18mg · Potassium: 4,700mg
The GRAS Loophole and 2026 Ingredient Review
Since 1958, the FDA's "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) designation has allowed food companies to self-certify new ingredients without government review. An unknown number of substances — believed to be in the thousands — have entered the US food supply through this process.
In March 2026, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. proposed closing this loophole by requiring mandatory FDA notification and review for all new food ingredients. The proposal is facing strong industry opposition, with food companies and trade groups threatening legal challenges. Several additives that are legal in the US — including Red 40, Yellow 5, titanium dioxide, and potassium bromate — are already banned or restricted in the EU.
Our Ingredient Analyzer tool helps you identify controversial additives in your food. Paste any ingredient list, and we'll color-code each substance based on its safety profile and current regulatory status.
How to Read a Nutrition Label
Start with the serving size — all other numbers on the label are per serving, not per container. A bag of chips with "2.5 servings" means you need to multiply everything by 2.5 if you eat the whole bag.
Focus on four things: added sugars (aim for under 10% DV), sodium (under 15% DV is reasonable), fiber (higher is better — 20%+ DV is excellent), and saturated fat (under 10% DV for heart health). Our Label Score grades these automatically.
Related Tools
Need to swap out a problematic ingredient? Try our Ingredient Substitution Finder to find healthier alternatives for common cooking and baking ingredients.