West Coast Nutra shopping reference
Supplement Label and Shopping Glossary
Use these 24 terms to compare the exact label, package, price and availability of a supplement. Each definition includes a practical shopping example and a related buying guide.
Read the label, one field at a time
- Supplement Facts
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The panel identifying a dietary supplement’s dietary ingredients and their amounts for the stated serving. Read it together with the separate other-ingredients list and package directions.
Put it to use: When comparing two bottles, copy the serving size and named ingredient amounts from each exact label before comparing their prices.
- Nutrition Facts
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The panel showing a food or drink’s serving information, calories and nutrients. Check which serving or container column you are reading.
Put it to use: A drink bottle may contain more than one labeled serving. Record the package quantity separately from the nutrient amounts shown per serving.
- Serving size
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The labeled amount to which a panel’s figures refer. A Nutrition Facts serving reflects typical consumption; it is not a personal recommendation. A supplement’s directions must also be read.
Put it to use: If one label describes two capsules per serving, compare its figures with another product’s complete labeled serving—not automatically with one capsule.
- Servings per container
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The number of labeled servings in the package. A capsule, scoop or packet count is not automatically the serving count.
Put it to use: A hypothetical 90-capsule bottle labeled three capsules per serving contains 30 such servings. Use the package’s stated information; this example does not suggest an amount to take.
- Amount per serving
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The quantity shown for an ingredient or nutrient for the stated serving. Compare both the ingredient name and the measurement unit.
Put it to use: Two panels showing the same number are not comparable if one is per tablet and the other is per two tablets. Retain each product’s own directions.
Compare pre-workout and non-stim options Related: Grams, milligrams and micrograms Source
- Percent Daily Value (%DV)
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The share of a reference daily amount supplied by a labeled serving. It is not the percentage of the product’s weight or a rating of quality.
Put it to use: Keep the nutrient name, amount and %DV together. Comparing percentages for different nutrients does not tell you which product is the better purchase.
Compare protein labels Related: Daily Value not established Source
- Daily Value not established
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A label note indicating that there is no established Daily Value for that ingredient. It does not mean the ingredient amount is zero.
Put it to use: Record the stated ingredient amount and serving size. Do not invent a percentage for a blank %DV entry.
Compare pre-workout and non-stim options Related: Amount per serving Source
- Other ingredients
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Ingredients outside the supplement’s dietary-ingredient listing, which can include capsule materials, flavorings or sweeteners. This list adds information beyond the front-label name.
Put it to use: Compare the current flavor’s full label. An unflavored version’s ingredient list does not establish what is in a flavored option.
- Proprietary blend
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A group of ingredients for which the label can state a combined weight without stating every individual ingredient amount. The combined figure is not the amount of each ingredient.
Put it to use: If individual amounts are not shown, mark them as undisclosed in your comparison. Do not divide the blend’s total equally among its ingredients.
Compare pre-workout and non-stim options Related: Amount per serving Source
Match the exact item
- Allergen information
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Read the entire ingredient list and any allergen statements. A “Contains” statement identifies allergens used as ingredients; advisory statements such as “may contain” address possible cross-contact and are voluntary.
Put it to use: Check every flavor and current package. The absence of a “may contain” statement does not verify absence of cross-contact; ask the manufacturer when a detail is unclear.
Compare protein labels Related: Product or formula version Source
- Grams, milligrams and micrograms
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Units of mass: 1 gram (g) equals 1,000 milligrams (mg); 1 milligram equals 1,000 micrograms (mcg). Convert units before comparing the same ingredient.
Put it to use: 500 mg and 0.5 g describe the same mass. That arithmetic alone does not make two formulas, ingredient forms or serving directions equivalent.
- Net quantity
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The stated amount in the package, such as net weight, liquid volume or item count. It answers a different question from ingredient amount per serving.
Put it to use: A tub’s powder weight includes the whole formula. Do not read a 300 g net weight as 300 g of one named ingredient unless the exact label establishes that.
- Scoop
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A measuring tool supplied for a particular product. A scoop count alone is not a shared unit across products, and a scoop is not automatically one labeled serving.
Put it to use: Read the exact serving-size wording and measurement. A “two scoop” entry cannot be compared with another product’s “one scoop” entry using the numbers alone.
Compare pre-workout and non-stim options Related: Serving size
- Variant
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A selectable product option or combination of options, such as flavor, package size or pack count. Its price, availability and image may differ from other options on the same page.
Put it to use: Select the flavor and size you intend to buy before recording the price. Save that complete option name when asking a store about stock.
Plan your WCN store visit Related: Starting price or “from” price
- Product or formula version
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The specific edition of the product and label being compared. A familiar name or similar package does not establish that the ingredient list is unchanged.
Put it to use: Match the full name, flavor, size and current label. If a listing photo and the received package differ, confirm the exact version before relying on the pictured facts.
Compare the package and price
- Product format
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The form being purchased, such as powder, capsules, tablets, gummies, liquid or a ready-to-drink bottle. Format describes the item; it does not establish equivalent contents.
Put it to use: Compare a creatine powder and capsules by their exact labels and package counts, not by assuming one scoop and one capsule are interchangeable.
Compare creatine formats Related: Servings per container Source
- Ready-to-drink (RTD)
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A drink sold in liquid form for use without mixing powder. Still check the label’s serving information, package size and instructions.
Put it to use: When comparing a bottle with a powder tub, record each format first. Then compare the stated number of servings or bottles and the complete price.
Compare hydration formats Related: Single item, multipack and case
- Single item, multipack and case
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Terms describing the quantity offered for sale. A photo with several containers does not by itself establish the number included in the selected option.
Put it to use: For a box of 12 packets, confirm the listing really sells the box. Compare its total price with another 12-item purchase before comparing cost per item.
- Cost per labeled serving
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The selected package price divided by the package’s labeled servings. It is a price comparison, not an effectiveness score or a personal-use recommendation.
Put it to use: Illustrative arithmetic: $45 ÷ 30 labeled servings = $1.50 per serving. Confirm equivalent formulas and serving amounts separately; these numbers are not WCN offers.
- Cost per item
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The selected pack price divided by the number of items included. Useful for bottles, bars or packets when a listing’s selling quantity is clear.
Put it to use: A hypothetical $24 pack of 12 bottles costs $2 per bottle. If each bottle contains two servings, per-bottle and per-serving costs are different figures.
Compare hydration formats Related: Single item, multipack and case
- Starting price or “from” price
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A lowest listed price used when a product has differently priced options. It may not be the price of the flavor, size or pack you want.
Put it to use: Open the product, select the intended variant, then compare that displayed price. Check the final order total for shipping, tax and any eligible discounts.
Check availability and evidence
- Online availability
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Whether an option is currently offered for an online purchase. Availability can vary within one product’s flavors and sizes.
Put it to use: A product card may be available because one option can be bought. Select your exact option to check it; online availability does not confirm stock at either WCN store.
- Local store stock
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Availability of the exact item at the location you plan to visit. Bakersfield and Santa Clarita are separate destinations, so confirm with the intended store.
Put it to use: Give the store the brand, product name, flavor and package size. Keep that location’s answer separate from the online listing or the other store’s stock.
- Quality or testing seal
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A mark for a particular testing or certification program. Programs check different things; a seal does not establish that a product is effective or suitable for everyone.
Put it to use: Identify the program and verify the exact product with its issuer. Do not transfer a certification from one brand item to every item sold under that brand.
Compare pre-workout and non-stim options Related: Product or formula version Source
Turn the definitions into a useful comparison.
- Write down the full product and selected option, including flavor and package size.
- Record the label’s serving size, servings per container and the ingredient details you want to compare.
- Calculate a matching unit price, then check the current online option or contact the store you intend to visit.
Use the price-comparison guide, or start with protein, creatine, pre-workout or hydration.
Sources and how to use this reference
West Coast Nutra wrote the shopping examples and arithmetic illustrations. General label definitions are grounded in the references below; they do not verify a particular product’s ingredients, certification or local stock. Use the current exact label for product facts and a qualified health professional for personal-use questions.
- FDA: How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label — serving information, nutrient amounts and Daily Value.
- FDA: Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements — supplement labels, other ingredients and product forms.
- FDA: Dietary Supplement Labeling Guide, Nutrition Labeling — amount-per-serving entries, Daily Value notes and proprietary blends.
- FDA: Have Food Allergies? Read the Label — ingredient lists and allergen statements.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know — the scope and limits of quality seals.
Need the correct label or a store-stock check? Contact Bakersfield or Santa Clarita with the exact item details.
Put the details together.
Check the right store before your visit.
Bakersfield: Brimhall Road and Santa Clarita: Newhall Ranch Road in Valencia have separate contact details. Confirm the exact item with your chosen store; online availability does not confirm local shelf stock.