The old saying “you can’t believe everything you read” shouldn’t refer to the black and white nutrition facts label printed on packaged food products.
While marketing words such as “all natural” and “made with whole grains” are often part of the manufacturer’s package design, each line listed on the nutrition facts panel is closely regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
But, it’s not always easy to translate milligrams into choices for healthier meals. That’s why the FDA recently announced a new and improved version highlighting the nutrients considered most important.
Calories will be printed in bigger, bolder print and serving sizes will be in amounts usually consumed. The current nutrition facts label may identify a serving of pickles as three-quarters of a spear. Who eats three-quarters of a pickle?
“Our understanding of a ‘serving size’ has changed over the years. The new panel now lists serving size as what is typically eaten in one sitting,” said registered dietitian Lori Zanini, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokeswoman.
The serving size for soft drinks will increase from 8 ounces to 12 ounces. Bagels and muffins will increase from 2-ounce to 4-ounce servings.
Healthy changes
One of the sweetest improvements to the nutrition facts label is adding a new line revealing how much sugar has been added to a product above and beyond the sugars naturally occurring in foods such as milk and fruit.
“The new labels will help consumers looking at labels for things like yogurt, jams or cereals know how much of the sugar comes from fruit or milk, and how much comes from added sugars,” said Michael F. Jacobson, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which first petitioned the FDA to put added sugars on nutrition facts labels in 1999.
Say goodbye to Vitamin A and C, which no longer will be listed on labels because most Americans are already getting the recommended amounts.
Say hello to Vitamin D and potassium, which will be listed for the first time and are needed for bone and heart health, respectively. “Many people do not consume these nutrients in sufficient amounts,” Zanini said.
Let’s hope easier reading will lead to healthier eating. As registered dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix said, “Read it before you eat it.”
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