The first thing you should look at is the serving size and how many servings are actually in a container. Oftentimes people assume that there is only one serving in each package, especially with foods that are easy to eat on the go. Once you know how many servings you plan on eating you can adjust the rest of the nutritional facts to reflect that portion.
Below the serving size you will see the number of calories. The number of calories you plan to eat with each meal or snack should be based on your resting metabolic rate and the amount of activity you do each day (~1500-2000 calories/day). The general rule is that if you want to maintain your weight, the calories you consume should be equal to the calories you expend, but if you want to lose weight you should be eating fewer calories than you exert throughout the day.
Next on the list are fat, cholesterol, and sodium. When comparing foods, try to choose the option that has lower values of these. You generally want to limit your fats, especially saturated and trans fats. Saturated fats come from animal products and can lead to increased cholesterol, and trans fats are usually added to processed foods in order to extend their shelf-life. If you see things listed as hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated, that usually means trans fat. Unsaturated fats are referred to as good fats and can actually help lower your cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is a substance that can line the walls of your blood vessels and limit blood flow so you should try to limit your intake of dietary cholesterol. You also want to try to limit your intake of sodium. Sodium is the amount of salt in a food. This is especially of importance to anyone who has been diagnosed with hypertension, kidney disease, or diabetes.
The other macronutrients, carbohydrate and protein, will also be listed on a nutrition label. Carbohydrates will further be broken down into sugars and fiber. Sugars are not great for you and you should try to limit them. Fiber is an indigestible type of carbohydrate that comes from plants. It helps with digestive health and may reduce appetite. You should be aiming for about 25-30g of fiber a day. The amount of protein will also be listed.
The last thing to look at is the ingredients list. Ingredients are listed in the order from what is used from the most to the least. Overall, if there are a lot of ingredients listed that you can’t pronounce or have never heard of, you should try to avoid it.
Hopefully, these general guidelines will help you make better choices when deciding what to eat, and will aid you in your goals of better health and nutrition.