Cholesterol Daily Value: 300 mg
The FDA Daily Value for cholesterol is 300 mg for adults and children 4+.
Key facts
- Adults & children 4+
- 300 mg
- Ages 1–3
- 300 mg
- Pregnant/lactating
- 300 mg
- Infants
- No Daily Value
- Label rounding
- Regulation: 0 below 2 mg · nearest 5 mg above; 2 to 5 mg may read “less than 5 mg”
- 20% DV (high)
- 60 mg
- 5% DV (low)
- 15 mg
Common amounts of cholesterol
Per serving, adults and children 4+.
- 10 mg is 3%
- 20 mg is 7%
- 50 mg is 17%
- 100 mg is 33%
- 200 mg is 67%
Cholesterol Daily Value: 300 mg
The FDA Daily Value for cholesterol is 300 mg for children 1–3 years.
- Adults & children 4+
- 300 mg
- Ages 1–3
- 300 mg
- Pregnant/lactating
- 300 mg
- Infants
- No Daily Value
- Label rounding
- Regulation: 0 below 2 mg · nearest 5 mg above; 2 to 5 mg may read “less than 5 mg”
- 20% DV (high)
- 60 mg
- 5% DV (low)
- 15 mg
Per serving, children 1–3 years.
- 10 mg is 3%
- 20 mg is 7%
- 50 mg is 17%
- 100 mg is 33%
- 200 mg is 67%
Cholesterol Daily Value: 300 mg
The FDA Daily Value for cholesterol is 300 mg for pregnant and lactating women.
- Adults & children 4+
- 300 mg
- Ages 1–3
- 300 mg
- Pregnant/lactating
- 300 mg
- Infants
- No Daily Value
- Label rounding
- Regulation: 0 below 2 mg · nearest 5 mg above; 2 to 5 mg may read “less than 5 mg”
- 20% DV (high)
- 60 mg
- 5% DV (low)
- 15 mg
Per serving, pregnant and lactating women.
- 10 mg is 3%
- 20 mg is 7%
- 50 mg is 17%
- 100 mg is 33%
- 200 mg is 67%
Cholesterol Daily Value: No Daily Value
There is no FDA Daily Value for cholesterol for infants through 12 months.
- Adults & children 4+
- 300 mg
- Ages 1–3
- 300 mg
- Pregnant/lactating
- 300 mg
- Infants
- No Daily Value
- Label rounding
- Regulation: 0 below 2 mg · nearest 5 mg above; 2 to 5 mg may read “less than 5 mg”
There is no cholesterol Daily Value for infants through 12 months, so a label shows no %DV.
About cholesterol
The cholesterol Daily Value is a fixed amount and does not change with calorie intake. Cholesterol is a required line on the Nutrition Facts label, stated in milligrams per serving. A product with less than 2 milligrams per serving that makes no claim about fat, fatty acids or cholesterol may leave it off or state it as zero. Except on the simplified format, a label that leaves it off says “Not a significant source of cholesterol” at the bottom of the nutrient table. Its %DV is highlighted, for example in bold type.
Questions about cholesterol
What is the FDA Daily Value for cholesterol?
The FDA Daily Value for cholesterol is 300 mg for adults and children 4 years and older. On a Nutrition Facts label, a serving's %DV for cholesterol is its amount divided by 300 mg, times 100.
How do I work out the %DV for cholesterol?
Divide the amount in one serving by 300 mg and multiply by 100, then round to the nearest whole percent. For example, 60 mg ÷ 300 mg × 100 = 20%.
How is cholesterol rounded, and when can it be declared as zero?
A statement of the cholesterol content in a serving expressed in milligrams to the nearest 5-milligram increment, except that label declaration of cholesterol information is not required for products that contain less than 2 milligrams cholesterol in a serving and make no claim about fat, fatty acids, or cholesterol content, or such products may state the cholesterol content as zero.
Cholesterol rounding rules
Amount
Cholesterol is declared to the nearest 5mg. Measuring finer than that changes nothing on the label.
| Amount range | Rounding rule |
|---|---|
| 0 to <2 | declare 0 |
| 2 to 5 | less than 5 milligrams |
| ≥2 | nearest 5 mg |
% Daily Value
| %DV range | Rounding rule |
|---|---|
| ≥0% DV | Nearest 1% |
Every %DV a label can show
What a serving has to contain for a label to print each figure. The %DV is worked out from the actual amount, before that amount is rounded.
| If the label shows | The serving must contain |
|---|---|
| Nearest 1%≥0% DV | |
| 0% DV | 0 mg≤ amount <1.5 mg |
| 1% DV | 1.5 mg≤ amount <4.5 mg |
| 2% DV | 4.5 mg≤ amount <7.5 mg |
| 3% DV | 7.5 mg≤ amount <10.5 mg |
| 4% DV | 10.5 mg≤ amount <13.5 mg |
| 5% DV | 13.5 mg≤ amount <16.5 mg |
| 6% DV | 16.5 mg≤ amount <19.5 mg |
| 7% DV | 19.5 mg≤ amount <22.5 mg |
| 8% DV | 22.5 mg≤ amount <25.5 mg |
| 9% DV | 25.5 mg≤ amount <28.5 mg |
| 10% DV | 28.5 mg≤ amount <31.5 mg |
| 11% DV | 31.5 mg≤ amount <34.5 mg |
| 12% DV | 34.5 mg≤ amount <37.5 mg |
| 13% DV | 37.5 mg≤ amount <40.5 mg |
| 14% DV | 40.5 mg≤ amount <43.5 mg |
| 15% DV | 43.5 mg≤ amount <46.5 mg |
| 16% DV | 46.5 mg≤ amount <49.5 mg |
| 17% DV | 49.5 mg≤ amount <52.5 mg |
| 18% DV | 52.5 mg≤ amount <55.5 mg |
| 19% DV | 55.5 mg≤ amount <58.5 mg |
| 20% DV | 58.5 mg≤ amount <61.5 mg |
| 21% DV | 61.5 mg≤ amount <64.5 mg |
| 22% DV | 64.5 mg≤ amount <67.5 mg |
| 23% DV | 67.5 mg≤ amount <70.5 mg |
| 24% DV | 70.5 mg≤ amount <73.5 mg |
| 25% DV | 73.5 mg≤ amount <76.5 mg |
| 26% DV | 76.5 mg≤ amount <79.5 mg |
| 27% DV | 79.5 mg≤ amount <82.5 mg |
| 28% DV | 82.5 mg≤ amount <85.5 mg |
| 29% DV | 85.5 mg≤ amount <88.5 mg |
| 30% DV | 88.5 mg≤ amount <91.5 mg |
| 31% DV | 91.5 mg≤ amount <94.5 mg |
| 32% DV | 94.5 mg≤ amount <97.5 mg |
| 33% DV | 97.5 mg≤ amount <100.5 mg |
| 34% DV | 100.5 mg≤ amount <103.5 mg |
| 35% DV | 103.5 mg≤ amount <106.5 mg |
| 36% DV | 106.5 mg≤ amount <109.5 mg |
| 37% DV | 109.5 mg≤ amount <112.5 mg |
| 38% DV | 112.5 mg≤ amount <115.5 mg |
| 39% DV | 115.5 mg≤ amount <118.5 mg |
| 40% DV | 118.5 mg≤ amount <121.5 mg |
| 41% DV | 121.5 mg≤ amount <124.5 mg |
| 42% DV | 124.5 mg≤ amount <127.5 mg |
| 43% DV | 127.5 mg≤ amount <130.5 mg |
| 44% DV | 130.5 mg≤ amount <133.5 mg |
| 45% DV | 133.5 mg≤ amount <136.5 mg |
| 46% DV | 136.5 mg≤ amount <139.5 mg |
| 47% DV | 139.5 mg≤ amount <142.5 mg |
| 48% DV | 142.5 mg≤ amount <145.5 mg |
| 49% DV | 145.5 mg≤ amount <148.5 mg |
| 50% DV | 148.5 mg≤ amount <151.5 mg |
| 51% DV | 151.5 mg≤ amount <154.5 mg |
| 52% DV | 154.5 mg≤ amount <157.5 mg |
| 53% DV | 157.5 mg≤ amount <160.5 mg |
| 54% DV | 160.5 mg≤ amount <163.5 mg |
| 55% DV | 163.5 mg≤ amount <166.5 mg |
| 56% DV | 166.5 mg≤ amount <169.5 mg |
| 57% DV | 169.5 mg≤ amount <172.5 mg |
| 58% DV | 172.5 mg≤ amount <175.5 mg |
| 59% DV | 175.5 mg≤ amount <178.5 mg |
| 60% DV | 178.5 mg≤ amount <181.5 mg |
| 61% DV | 181.5 mg≤ amount <184.5 mg |
| 62% DV | 184.5 mg≤ amount <187.5 mg |
| 63% DV | 187.5 mg≤ amount <190.5 mg |
| 64% DV | 190.5 mg≤ amount <193.5 mg |
| 65% DV | 193.5 mg≤ amount <196.5 mg |
| 66% DV | 196.5 mg≤ amount <199.5 mg |
| 67% DV | 199.5 mg≤ amount <202.5 mg |
| 68% DV | 202.5 mg≤ amount <205.5 mg |
| 69% DV | 205.5 mg≤ amount <208.5 mg |
| 70% DV | 208.5 mg≤ amount <211.5 mg |
| 71% DV | 211.5 mg≤ amount <214.5 mg |
| 72% DV | 214.5 mg≤ amount <217.5 mg |
| 73% DV | 217.5 mg≤ amount <220.5 mg |
| 74% DV | 220.5 mg≤ amount <223.5 mg |
| 75% DV | 223.5 mg≤ amount <226.5 mg |
| 76% DV | 226.5 mg≤ amount <229.5 mg |
| 77% DV | 229.5 mg≤ amount <232.5 mg |
| 78% DV | 232.5 mg≤ amount <235.5 mg |
| 79% DV | 235.5 mg≤ amount <238.5 mg |
| 80% DV | 238.5 mg≤ amount <241.5 mg |
| 81% DV | 241.5 mg≤ amount <244.5 mg |
| 82% DV | 244.5 mg≤ amount <247.5 mg |
| 83% DV | 247.5 mg≤ amount <250.5 mg |
| 84% DV | 250.5 mg≤ amount <253.5 mg |
| 85% DV | 253.5 mg≤ amount <256.5 mg |
| 86% DV | 256.5 mg≤ amount <259.5 mg |
| 87% DV | 259.5 mg≤ amount <262.5 mg |
| 88% DV | 262.5 mg≤ amount <265.5 mg |
| 89% DV | 265.5 mg≤ amount <268.5 mg |
| 90% DV | 268.5 mg≤ amount <271.5 mg |
| 91% DV | 271.5 mg≤ amount <274.5 mg |
| 92% DV | 274.5 mg≤ amount <277.5 mg |
| 93% DV | 277.5 mg≤ amount <280.5 mg |
| 94% DV | 280.5 mg≤ amount <283.5 mg |
| 95% DV | 283.5 mg≤ amount <286.5 mg |
| 96% DV | 286.5 mg≤ amount <289.5 mg |
| 97% DV | 289.5 mg≤ amount <292.5 mg |
| 98% DV | 292.5 mg≤ amount <295.5 mg |
| 99% DV | 295.5 mg≤ amount <298.5 mg |
| 100% DV | 298.5 mg≤ amount <301.5 mg |
The rules are FDA's; the inversion is ours. Ranges are inclusive at the low end and exclusive at the high end, because an exact half rounds up.
Does the cholesterol Daily Value change for children or pregnancy?
No. It stays 300 mg for children 1 to 3 years and during pregnancy and lactation. There is no cholesterol Daily Value for infants through 12 months.
How do I find out how much cholesterol is in a food?
A Daily Value is a reference target, not a measurement of any particular food. To find the cholesterol content of a specific ingredient or product, look it up in USDA FoodData Central, then use that amount here to see what a label would declare and what %DV it carries.
Where do these numbers come from?
- Daily Values and label rounding: FDA, 21 CFR 101.9, as of 2026-02-12.
- Cholesterol Daily Value: 21 CFR 101.9(c)(9).
- Cholesterol label rounding: 21 CFR 101.9(c)(3).
- %DV rounding: 21 CFR 101.9(d)(7)(ii).
- Old Daily Values: 21 CFR 101.9, April 1, 2016 edition.
- 5% low and 20% high: FDA's consumer page on the lows and highs of %DV.
- Dataset: bm-regulatory US Nutrition Label Rules v17.0.0.
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