How to read a dark chocolate label: what the cacao percentage means, total vs added sugars, ingredient order, organic wording tiers and fair trade claims, with Hu Simple 70% as the example.
How to read a multivitamin label: capsule count per serving, what a %DV above 100 means, nutrient forms in parentheses, other ingredients, and vegan and allergen lines.
A greens powder label usually lists a long run of plant names, and almost none of them have their own amount. That is not an error on the label. It is how a “proprietary blend” is allowed to be declared. This explainer covers what is special about greens powder labels: what a blend weight tells…
How to read a probiotic label: weight vs CFU count, counts at manufacture vs through expiration, full strain names and storage, using Culturelle and Amazing Grass as examples.
How to read a vitamin D3 label: why mcg is required and IU optional, how to convert, what a %DV above 100 means, D3 vs D2, and oil soft gel vs capsule, using Nordic Naturals and Ritual.
How to read a fish oil label: serving size, EPA and DHA per serving vs the fish oil amount, triglyceride vs ethyl ester form, and what testing seals name.
A carton of bone broth can carry a lot of words: “bone broth”, “grass-fed”, “organic”, a protein number on the front, and sometimes talk of collagen. The Nutrition Facts panel and the ingredient list on the back are where you can check them. This guide shows how to read a bone broth label line by…
Whey protein tubs print plenty of numbers on the front, but the ones that let you compare two products sit on the back: the serving size, the protein line, the ingredient list and, on some labels, an amino acid table. This guide shows how to read each of them, using the six whey powders we…
A peanut butter jar has less on it than most pantry labels, but the words still matter. “Peanut butter” is a name with a federal standard behind it, and the ingredient list shows whether anything besides peanuts went in: oil, sugar, salt. This guide covers what FDA’s standard says, how to read the ingredient list…
An olive oil bottle packs a lot onto a small label: a grade, an origin line, a harvest code, a use-by date, a row of seals and a Nutrition Facts panel. Some of those words come from a USDA standard. Others are the brand’s own. This guide goes through each part of the label and…