Percent Daily Value (%DV) Calculator

How it works

%DV = (amount per serving × servings eaten) ÷ Daily Value × 100 · 5% DV or less = low · 20% DV or more = high

The % Daily Value on a US Nutrition Facts label shows how much one serving contributes to a total daily diet, based on the Daily Values the FDA updated in 2016 (for example sodium 2,300 mg, dietary fiber 28 g, added sugars 50 g, calcium 1,300 mg and iron 18 mg). The FDA’s quick guide is that 5% DV or less is low and 20% DV or more is high — aim low for saturated fat, sodium and added sugars, and high for fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium. Daily Values are reference amounts for labels, not personal targets.

Worked example

A soup lists 460 mg of sodium per serving and you eat 1 serving: 460 ÷ 2,300 × 100 = 20% DV, which counts as High (20% DV or more), leaving 1,840 mg for the rest of the day.

Sources: US FDA — Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts labels · US FDA — How to understand and use the Nutrition Facts label

Frequently asked questions