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:

  • dividing the amount of a nutrient in a serving size by its daily value, then

  • 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

For more detail visit:

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm064928.htm