Check the Nutrition Facts: 5/20 Rule

Navigating the Nutrition Facts panel on packaged foods can be confusing and time consuming if you’re not familiar with how to use it. However, there are a few tricks that turn food labels into effective tools for making healthy food choices. Last week I discussed using the serving size and calories listed on the Nutrition Facts panel to prevent consumption of excess calories and maintain a healthy body weight. This week, we will learn how to use food labels to select nutrient dense foods using the 5/20 rule.

Most packaged foods undergo processing, meaning they may contain added sugars, fats, and sodium. Food labels are required on mass-produced packaged food products so that you can make informed choices about what you purchase and put into your body. Ideally, you want to pick nutrient dense foods, meaning foods containing high amounts of health promoting nutrients, like fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, in relatively few calories. Nutrient dense foods also contain low amounts of nutrients we want to consume in moderation, such as fat, sugar, and sodium. Using food labels to select nutrient dense foods is the best way to make sure your calories count by supporting optimal health.

The Nutrition Facts panel lists the % Daily Value (%DV) for nutrients to help you understand how much of each nutrient is the right amount to fit into a healthy diet each day. For example, on the food label depicted below, the label lists a %DV of 22% for calcium, which means that one serving provides 22% of the calcium you need for the day. If you consume two servings, then you would be getting 44% of the calcium you need for the day. The %DV for energy nutrients (i.e., carbohydrates, protein, and fat), are based on a 2000-calorie diet, which is recommended to maintain healthy weight in most adults.

You can use the 5/20 Rule when looking at %DVs on the Nutrition Facts panel to find nutrient dense packaged foods. By the 5/20 Rule, a %DV at or below 5% indicates a low amount of a nutrient, whereas a %DV at or above 20% indicates a high amount of a nutrient. When selecting packaged foods, you want to check for high amounts of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein (when a %DV is listed) to ensure your diet is packed with health boosting nutrients. Looking for packaged foods with low amounts of fats and sodium will help you consume these nutrients in moderation and prevent you from exceeding your daily calorie allowance. The 5/20 Rule is an easy and quick skill that will allow you to make more informed decisions when reading food labels at the grocery store. Start practicing it today and make your calories count by choosing more nutrient dense foods!

Dr Kara

My journey to find a balanced way of living led me to a Ph.D. in Nutrition at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master’s in Public Health at the University of California-Berkeley. My studies and experiences afford me a deep understanding of diet and lifestyle factors that contribute to optimal health. I contribute to projects in the U.S. and abroad that improve the health of individuals and families through nutritious foods. I believe the foods we eat impact our lives in so many ways, ranging from nourishing our body’s cells and tissues, to supporting emotional, physical, and social wellbeing. I am thrilled to be a part of the Moxy Kitchen team and support the development of flavorful, easy-to-use food products that add a nutrient-dense punch to daily meals.