We’ve all been there.
You grab a convenience-size package of your favorite snack, flip it over to check the calorie content and think to yourself “140 calories isn’t bad.” Then you read the fine print: The package is actually three servings, 420 calories in all. Ugh!
As a registered dietitian nutritionist, an avid promoter of health and wellness, and health-conscious mother of two teenagers, I rely on food labels to provide me with the nutrition facts of the foods I eat and serve my family. I also recognize this panel of information provides challenges to the consumer. In fact, I once lost a debate with my son who claimed that three (yes, three!) chocolate-covered cream-filled snack cakes were actually a serving. This was indeed true, according to the box.
Much of this confusion should be changing. It’s been a long time coming, but the Nutrition Facts Panel is getting an update. This past May, the Food and Drug Administration finalized is first major overhaul of the Nutrition Facts Panel since 1993.
The FDA recognizes the significant impact diet can have on the prevention of chronic diseases and has updated the Nutrition Facts Panel to help consumers make better-informed food choices. Specifically, the new panel will provide a better reflection of serving size and the nutrients Americans should focus on, with a design that is intended to be easier to read.
So what can consumers expect from the changes? Read on for breakdown of some of the most notable label updates:
So what can consumers expect from the changes? Read on for breakdown of some of the most notable label updates:
Both calories and serving size will now be identified in a larger bold type. This calls attention to these parts of the label, which are especially important in impacting today’s public health concerns, including diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Serving sizes will see changes, too. By law, the label must now reflect what is typically eaten, or what most individuals are eating in a sitting, rather than what they should be eating. If you are like me, you are probably wondering why. People already often eat too much; so now we give them permission? That is not the intent of this change. Instead, it is meant to ease the work of calculating serving sizes with calorie content. For example, we know most people who open a 12-ounce beverage don’t drink only 8 ounces, which is currently the serving size on a can. They most often consume the entire can, so now we can expect to see the serving size as 12 ounces, along with the corresponding calorie total.
Nutrient information is changing, too. Vitamins A and C will no longer be required on the label, as Americans are generally getting enough of these vitamins. However, potassium and Vitamin D will now be required, as people aren’t always consuming these in sufficient amounts. Vitamin D is essential for bone health, and potassium may be linked to heart health and blood pressure. Calcium and iron will also stay on the label.
Something that has noticeably been missing on the label is information about “added sugars.” These are a key addition to the new Nutrition Facts Panel. Added sugars will appear in both grams and percent of daily value. While some foods contain naturally-occurring sugars, the consumer needs to be on the lookout for sugars added during processing. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that no more than 10 percent of our total daily calories come from added sugars.
Calories from fat are going away on the new label, but fat grams will remain. I like this change, as the type of fat really is more important than the calories from fat. Limit saturated and trans fats, as these are linked to heart disease.
Don’t expect to see these changes right away, as manufacturers will have until July of 2018 to be fully compliant with the requirements, and smaller manufacturing companies will have an additional year. In the meantime, if you would like to learn more about reading the Nutrition Facts Label or an overview of the changes visit eatright.org or fda.gov.
