Nutrition Labeling: Lipids

Nutrition Facts Panel

• The Nutrition Facts panel provides information on the amount of total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol in a packaged food product.
• The panel shows the total fat content in grams per serving, with breakdowns of saturated fat and trans fat.
• If a serving of food has less than 0.5 g of a specific type of fat, the amount can be reported as 0 g.

Sources of Fat

• The list of ingredients on the Nutrition Facts panel can help identify the sources of fat in a product.
• Fats and oils in the ingredients list contribute to the total fat content of the product.

Requirements for Food Manufacturers

• Food manufacturers are not required to indicate amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat in products.
• However, the amount of cholesterol in a serving of the food must be listed.

Calculating Kcal from Fat

• To calculate the number of kcal from fat in a serving, you need to know the total fat content in grams per serving.
• Example: A serving of potato chips has 9 g of total fat, and supplies 150 kcal.

Learn about nutritional labeling, including determining amounts of total fat and various types of fatty acids in a serving of packaged food. Compare total fat and saturated fat contents and identify sources of fat in a product.