Decoding the Nutrition Label: Tips for
people with diabetes
Many people with diabetes use the Nutrition Label to find out about the amount of carbohydrates, fibre,
sugar and fat in certain foods. The Nutrition Label includes the Nutrition Facts Table, the ingredient list,
health claims and nutrient content claims. Read on to learn how to use the different parts of the Nutrition
Label to help you manage your diabetes.
Nutrition Facts Table
The Nutrition Facts Table provides information about calories and 13 nutrients. In general, if you are
managing diabetes, you will want to pay special attention to: Carbohydrates: The amount of
carbohydrate on the Nutrition Facts Table is for total carbohydrate, which includes starch, fibre and
sugars. If you are counting carbohydrates, you need to subtract the amount of fibre from the total
carbohydrate listed. Fibre does not raise your blood glucose.
Fibre: Fibre helps control blood glucose and lower blood cholesterol levels. Aim to get 25-50g of fibre
per day. That’s the amount recommended for people with diabetes. You can also compare the % Daily
Value (%DV) of fibre between similar products. A product with 15% DV or more is a higher fibre choice.
Sugars: The amount of sugar on the Nutrition Facts Table includes sugars found naturally in foods like
in fruit and milk, plus added sugars such as white sugar, honey and syrups. The Canadian Diabetes
Association recommends that added sugars and sweetened foods be used in moderation. Look at the
ingredient list to see if a food has added sugars. More information below.
Fat: Compare the % Daily Value (%DV) of fat between similar products. A product with less than 5% DV
is a lower fat choice. Look for products with little saturated fat and no trans fat. Don't forget about
calories and sodium in your food choices. Read Decoding the Nutrition Label to find out more about
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calories and sodium on the label. Work with a Registered Dietitian to find out the amount of
carbohydrates, sugar, fibre and fat that will help you manage your diabetes. You can also call an
EatRight Ontario dietitian at 1-877-510-510-2 to get help with reading the nutrition label.
The ingredient list
Ingredients are listed in order of weight. If sugar, fat or sodium is listed in the first few ingredients, the
product may not be the healthiest choice. Use the chart below to learn about words that mean sugar, fat
or sodium in an ingredient list.
Nutrient
Words to watch for on the ingredient list
Sugars
Glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, galactose or dextrose Cane juice or evaporated cane juice Syrups and
honey: agave, liquid invert sugar, maple syrup, corn syrup, molasses, barley malt syrup, brown rice syrup, palm syrup
Saturated Butter Coconut or coconut oil Lard, shortening, suet, chicken fat, bacon fat, tallow or beef fat Cocoa butter Palm or palm
fat
kernel oil Powdered whole milk solids
Trans fat Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats and oils Margarine and shortening made with hydrogenated or partially
hydrogenated fats or oils
Sodium
Salt: Sea salt, kosher salt etc Additives and preservatives with the word “sodium” such as: disodium phosphate, sodium
bisulfate, sodium benzoate, sodium hydroxide, sodium propionate, etc. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) Baking powder,
baking soda, sodium bicarbonate Garlic salt, onion salt, celery salt Soy sauce, fish sauce
Health claims and nutrient content claims
Health claims and nutrient content claims are two tools found on pre-packaged foods that can help you
make healthier food choices. Read about health and nutrient content claims you may find on some
foods.
Nutrient content claims you may be interested in
If you have diabetes, you may be interested in nutrient content claims about sugars, fat and fibre. This
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table explains what these nutrient content claims mean:
Nutrient content claim
What it means
Sugar free
The food must have less than 0.5 g of sugar per serving
Reduced in sugar/ Lower in sugar
The food must have at least 25% less sugar compared to a similar product
No added sugar
The food must not have any added sugar Note: Natural sugars may be present in the food
High source of fibre
The food must have at least 4 grams of fibre per serving
Source of fibre
The food must have at least 2 grams of fibre per serving
Fat-free
The food must have less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving
Reduced in fat/ Lower in fat
The food must have at least 25% less fat compared to a similar product
To get the whole story about a food, always read the Nutrition Facts table, not just the nutrient content
claims. Here’s why:
A food package with the claim “no sugar added” is not necessarily sugar free. For example, many
juice containers say, “no sugar added” but still contain lots of natural sugar from fruit.
Some “sugar-free” foods may contain other ingredients that are still a source of carbohydrate that
must be counted in the diet plan. Or, they may be high in fat, sodium and calories.
Some foods may be labelled “light,” but this is NOT a nutrient content claim. It can mean lower in
calories or fat – but it can also mean light in colour.
Bottom line
Reading Nutrition Labels can teach you about how the foods you buy may affect your blood glucose
levels. Registered Dietitians can help with label reading. Call EatRight Ontario at 1-877-510-5102 to
speak with a Registered Dietitian about label reading or send an email.
You may also be interested in
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Nutrition labelling videos
Health Canada’s Interactive Nutrition Label Quiz
This content from www.eatrightontario.ca is Copyright © Dietitians of Canada 2015, unless otherwise indicated.
The content is not meant to replace advice from your medical doctor or counselling from a Registered Dietitian.
It is intended for educational purposes only. Dietitians of Canada acknowledges the financial support of EatRight
Ontario by the Ontario government. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the province.
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