This study aims to evaluate the level of understanding of consumers in the context of food nutrition labeling. It supports the idea that each consumer works differently against the background of the analysis of nutrition labels. Through an empirical research that uses the methodology of an assessment system for functional literacy, a profile of consumers is drawn and a score of the respondents related to nutrition label aspects knowledge applied by Anvisa is measured. Results show evidence that consumers are unaware of basic nutritional elements, unable to develop other simple tasks of label analysis. Different levels of understanding by the variables gender, level of income, level of education, age, reading labels habit, exercise habit, practice of eating out and buying food for the family reveal heterogeneous realities of food choices, bringing important benefits to the area of consumer behavior and public policy.