A Supplement Facts panel helps you identify what a labeled serving contains. Start with serving size, then read the nutrient or blend amounts and the ingredient list.
1. Start with serving size
Serving size tells you the quantity used for the panel's listed amounts. For example, BASIC GREENS B12 lists 1 mL; Vitamin C lists 2 mL; Hair, Skin & Nails lists two capsules. Do not assume every liquid uses one dropper or every capsule formula uses one capsule.
2. Check the units
| Unit | Meaning | Comparison tip |
|---|---|---|
| mg | Milligrams | 1 mg = 1,000 mcg |
| mcg | Micrograms | Keep the same unit when comparing labels |
| IU | International Units | Conversion depends on the specific substance; D3 50 mcg is shown as 2,000 IU on this product label |
| mL | Milliliters of liquid | This is serving volume, not the nutrient amount |
| mcg DFE | Dietary folate equivalents | Read the folate expression as labeled; do not treat DFE as the same measurement as every other folate expression |
| mg NE | Niacin equivalents | Keep the label expression when comparing niacin |
3. Read Daily Value in context
% Daily Value uses a general reference amount. It is not an individualized dose recommendation. A missing Daily Value does not mean an ingredient amount is zero; read the panel's footnote and listed amount.
4. Separate individual amounts from blend totals
A combined blend amount does not disclose the amount of every ingredient in that blend. The BASIC GREENS L-Arginine capsule label gives 3,000 mg for its combined blend. Hair, Skin & Nails gives 1,100 mg for its bovine collagen and botanical blend. Neither number is the separately disclosed amount of L-Arginine or collagen alone.
5. Read the other ingredients
Other ingredients can include a capsule shell, liquid base, flavor, or preservatives. For dietary preferences, check the full list: a vegetable capsule shell does not make a formula containing bovine collagen vegan.
6. Compare the panel with the pack size
The Vitamin C bottle contains 30 labeled 2 mL servings, each providing 200 mg vitamin C. The 6,000 mg bottle total is calculated across those servings. A two-pack doubles the supply but does not change the formula's per-serving amount.
Questions about Supplement Facts
Should I use a website summary instead of my bottle label?
Use the current bottle label for directions, warnings, and serving measurement. If a product page and your bottle differ, send a label photo to BASIC GREENS support before relying on a comparison.
Can I calculate every ingredient in a proprietary blend?
No. A blend total is insufficient to calculate separate ingredient amounts when the panel does not disclose them.
Practice with the actual labels
- View Vitamin B12 Liquid Drops 5000 mcg label
- View Liposomal Vitamin C Liquid Drops label
- View Hair, Skin & Nails with Biotin & Collagen label
- View L-Arginine 3000 mg Blend label
General label reference: NIH: Dietary Supplements — What You Need to Know.