What are the ideal amounts on a nutrition label?

A quick guide to reading labels looking at the nutrients section is the 5-20 Rule. 5% or less is considered low in the Daily value of nutrients and you should use this amount for nutrients you want to limit like fat and sodium. 20% or more is considered high and you want to look for foods high in the Daily Value for those nutrients you may need more of such as potassium and fiber.

The ideal amounts of nutrients on a nutrition label may vary depending on the food you are buying.

• When it comes to breads, you want to aim for 2 grams of fiber or more.
• Cereals you want to select ones with 5 grams or more of fiber.
• For canned foods, buy the "low sodium: which is equivalent to 140 mg per serving.
• Lean meats contain less than 10 grams of fat and less than 4 grams of saturated fat are good choices.
• You want to limit nutrients such as: fat, cholesterol and sodium. In general, foods are considered low fat when they have 3 grams or less per serving; low sodium 140 milligrams or less/serving; low cholesterol 20 mg or less.