PoshanSenseFood labels
Read the portion before the calories
A packet, a serving and 100 grams can describe three very different amounts. Here is how to compare like with like.
By PoshanSense · Published 2 October 2026 · General education
Find the basis of the numbers
Start with the heading above the nutrition figures. Does it say per 100 g, per 100 ml, per serving or per pack? Do not copy a number into a journal until you know which amount it describes. A suggested serving is not necessarily the amount you ate.
A worked example: your snack packet
Imagine a 60 g packet whose label shows 480 kcal per 100 g. The whole packet contains 480 × 60 ÷ 100 = 288 kcal. Half the packet is 30 g, or 144 kcal. These are fictional label values for demonstrating the calculation, not values for a particular snack.
Apply the same multiplier to protein, carbohydrate, fat and any reported sugar. If the label gives 8 g protein per 100 g, the full 60 g packet supplies 4.8 g. Round only after calculating your portion.
Compare two products fairly
Two brands may choose different serving sizes. Compare their figures on the same basis first, then calculate your own portion. For drinks, keep millilitres with millilitres. Do not silently treat a weight in grams as the same volume.
Check what is actually being described
Some labels distinguish a dry product from the prepared food. Milk, oil or another ingredient you add may need its own entry. Check whether the stated values already include those additions before counting them again.
Before logging: basis → amount eaten → multiplier → result. Keep the label nearby if you need to correct the entry later.
Label formats differ by country. The FDA's explanation covers US labels; use it to understand the concepts, not as a template every country must follow. Read the FDA label guide.
These are educational examples, not individual dietary targets. Editorial approach · Report a correction