Nutrition questions, answered.

A serving size is the amount the nutrition panel reports against, and every number on the label (calories, protein, sugar, sodium) is for that amount, not the whole package. The serving on the box is often smaller than what people actually eat, so we state the listed serving and, when it helps, what a realistic portion adds up to.

Not always. The calories are per serving, and a package can hold several servings. Check the servings-per-container line at the top of the panel, then multiply. We flag this on any food where the per-package total is much higher than the per-serving number.

From the brand's own nutrition panel when it's a packaged or chain product, and from USDA FoodData Central for generic foods like whole milk or ground beef. We name the source on every guide so you can check it yourself, and we update a number if the brand changes its formula.

Macros are the nutrients that carry calories: protein, carbohydrates and fat. The panel also breaks out sugar (including added sugar), fiber and sodium. We state the full line on every food so you can see, for example, that two foods with the same calories can have very different protein or sugar.

Newer panels list added sugar on its own line, under total sugar. Natural sugar (the kind in plain milk or fruit) is the difference. We call out added sugar on snacks, drinks and cereals because it's where the number climbs fastest.

Processed and packaged foods (deli meat, canned beans, fast food, crackers) use salt for flavor and shelf life, so sodium adds up across a meal even when one serving looks modest. We state sodium per serving and note when a single item is a large share of a day's recommended limit.

Compare them at the same serving size, not the package size, and look past calories to the macro that matters for you (protein, sugar or sodium). Every TastyBend guide compares the food to one or two close alternatives so you don't have to line up two labels yourself.

Percent daily value tells you how much one serving contributes to a typical 2,000-calorie day for that nutrient. It's a quick gauge: 5 percent or less is low, 20 percent or more is high. We reference it for sodium, sugar and saturated fat where it's most useful.

We re-check a guide when a brand changes its formula or panel, and when a reader flags a mismatch. Generic foods sourced from USDA FoodData Central update when the database does. The source and the date we checked are noted on each guide.