Nutritional labels on cans and packages of food can provide lots of useful information, if you know how to use this information more effectively and easily. The following food label information is intended to make it easier for you to use nutrition labels to make quick, informed food choices that contribute to a healthy diet.

The Nutrition Facts food label gives you information about which nutrients are in the food. Your body needs the right combination of nutrients, such as vitamins, to work properly and grow. The Nutrition Facts food label is printed somewhere on the outside of packaged food, and you usually don't have to look hard to find it. Fresh food that doesn't come prepackaged sometimes has nutrition facts, too.

If you want to learn more about the different types of information on food labels, use this link (http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html#twoparts).