The Percent Daily Value on the Nutrition Facts label is a guide to the nutrients in one serving of food. For example, if the label lists 15 percent for calcium, it means that one serving provides 15 percent of the calcium you need each day. The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet for healthy adults.
There are two sets of reference values for reporting nutrients in nutrition labeling: 1) Daily Reference Values (DRVs) and 2) Reference Daily Intakes (RDIs). These values assist consumers in interpreting information about the amount of a nutrient that is present in a food and in comparing nutritional values of food products. DRVs are established for adults and children four or more years of age, as are RDIs, with the exception of protein. DRVs are provided for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, sodium, potassium, and protein. RDIs are provided for vitamins and minerals and for protein for children less than four years of age and for pregnant and lactating women. In order to limit consumer confusion, however, the label includes a single term (i.e., Daily Value (DV)), to designate both the DRVs and RDIs. Specifically, the label includes the % DV, except that the % DV for protein is not required unless a protein claim is made for the product or if the product is to be used by infants or children under four years of age.
Calculation:
The % DV for a nutrient is calculated by:
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dividing the amount of a nutrient in a serving size by its daily value, then
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multiplying that number by 100
For example, a food product has 3 mg of iron. The daily value for iron is 14 mg. This means that the % DV for iron would be 21%.
If you would like to do your own calculation, use the equation below to help you.
(3 mg ÷ 14 mg) × 100 = 21% DV
The following table lists the DVs based on a caloric intake of 2,000 calories, for adults and children four or more years of age.
| Total Fat | 65 grams (g) |
| Saturated Fat | 20 g |
| Cholesterol | 300 milligrams (mg) |
| Sodium | 2,400 mg |
| Potassium | 3,500 mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 300 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 25 g |
| Protein | 50 g |
| Vitamin A | 5,000 International Units (IU) |
| Vitamin C | 60 mg |
| Calcium | 1,000 mg |
| Iron | 18 mg |
| Vitamin D | 400 IU |
| Vitamin E | 30 IU |
| Vitamin K | 80 micrograms µg |
| Thiamin | 1.5 mg |
| Riboflavin | 1.7 mg |
| Niacin | 20 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 2 mg |
| Folate | 400 µg |
| Vitamin B12 | 6 µg |
| Biotin | 300 µg |
| Pantothenic acid | 10 mg |
| Phosphorus | 1,000 mg |
| Iodine | 150 µg |
| Magnesium | 400 mg |
| Zinc | 15 mg |
| Selenium | 70 µg |
| Copper | 2 mg |
| Manganese | 2 mg |
| Chromium | 120 µg |
| Molybdenum | 75 µg |
| Chloride | 3,400 mg |
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