- With Mayo Clinic nutritionist
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
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Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.
A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in pediatrics at Mayo Clinic Rochester and nutrition education related to the physiology and recommended intakes for premature infants.
Other areas of interest include breast milk and formula safety, neonatal feeding, and nutrition for breast-feeding mothers.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Healthy menus and shopping strategies (6)
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- Ground flaxseed: Better than whole?
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Question
Percent Daily Value: What does it mean?
What does Percent Daily Value mean on food labels?
Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Food labels list percentages that are based on recommended daily intakes — meaning the amount of nutrients a person should get each day. These numbers tell you the Percent Daily Value (DV) that one serving of this food provides as a percentage of established standards. For example, a label may show that a serving of the food provides 30 percent of the daily recommended amount of fiber. This means you still need another 70 percent to meet the recommended goal. Percent DV is based on a 2,000-calorie diet for adults older than 18.
Nutrition experts recommend limiting total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium in your diet, so choose foods with a lower Percent DV for these nutrients. Eat more foods with a higher Percent DV for vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Using Percent Daily Values can help you compare similar foods in order to help determine what foods are higher in nutrients.
| Reference values for nutrition labeling: How much should you get each day? | |
|---|---|
| Nutrient | Amount for adults |
| Biotin | 0.3 milligrams (mg) |
| Calcium | 1,000 mg |
| Copper | 2 mg |
| Folic acid | 0.4 mg |
| Iron | 18 mg |
| Magnesium | 400 mg |
| Niacin | 20 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 10 mg |
| Phosphorus | 1,000 mg |
| Protein | 50 grams (g) |
| Riboflavin | 1.7 mg |
| Thiamin | 1.5 mg |
| Vitamin A | 5,000 international units (IU) |
| Vitamin B-12 | 6 micrograms |
| Vitamin B-6 | 2 mg |
| Vitamin C | 60 mg |
| Vitamin D | 400 IU |
| Vitamin E | 30 IU |
| Zinc | 15 mg |
| Reference values for nutrition labeling: How much should you get each day? | |
|---|---|
| Nutrient | Amount for adults |
| Total fat | Less than 65 grams (g) |
| Saturated fat | Less than 20 g |
| Trans fat | Less than 2 g |
| Cholesterol | Less than 300 milligrams (mg) |
| Total carbohydrate | 300 g |
| Fiber | At least 25 g |
| Sodium | Less than 2,400 mg |
| Potassium | 3,500 mg |
Sources: U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Dietary Reference Intakes National Academy of Sciences, 2004
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