Everyone has seen the food label listed on most food or drink items available at the grocery store. But do you know what each of the different sections mean and how you can use the information to make healthier choices? The information below will help you navigate the nutrition facts label to learn more about what is going into your body. First, we will look at the sample label below to discuss the different components. Did you know the food label underwent some construction in 2016? Some of those changes will be explained later on.
Sample Label for Macaroni and Cheese
1. Serving Size: This is the first piece of information to look for on a food package. Serving size has standardized measurements (cups, grams, etc.) so similar foods and drinks can be compared. Serving size and servings per container affect the nutrients consumed. Usually the amount of nutrients is expressed for one serving. In the case of the mac and cheese label, there are actually two servings per container. If the whole container is consumed, twice the amount of the nutrients listed are consumed.
2. Calories: Calories are how much energy is consumed from the item. Pay attention to serving size when configuring how many calories were consumed. Look at the mac and cheese label by #1 and #2; the whole container is two servings. There are 250 calories per serving. Eating the whole container means 500 calories are consumed.
3. & 4. Nutrients: The nutrients listed on the nutrition facts label can be split into two categories: nutrients to limit and nutrients to get enough of. #3 on the label is nutrients to limit like fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Too much of these nutrients can cause chronic diseases like heart disease or high blood pressure. #4 on the label are nutrients to make sure you get enough of like fiber, vitamins A & C, calcium, and iron. These nutrients can improve health and lower risk of some chronic diseases.
5. Footnote: The footnote is required to say that all percent daily values (%DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Small labels may have only this information in the footnote. Larger labels will have the same footnote with some more information regardless of the product. The additional information is the recommended amount of nutrients to be consumed daily.
6. Percent Daily Value (%DV): A quick way to tell if the nutrient is a high or low amount according to %DV is this: 5% is low, and 20% is high. In reference to the mac and cheese table, Vitamin A (4%) is low, while sodium (20%) is high. Each nutrient shows what percentage of the daily allowance is consumed by eating or drinking one serving of the product. Trans fat, sugars, and protein do not have a %DV. Trans fat and sugars have not had recommendations established but should be limited. Protein %DV is only required in some foods, but mostly protein consumption is not a problem for adults and children older than 4 years.
Source: http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ucm274593.htm
Interactive Food Label
To further develop your nutrition facts label skills, visit http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/InteractiveNutritionFactsLabel/#intro for an interactive food label. This goes into more detail about the different components of the food label and how the specific nutrients affect the body.
Recent Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label
On May 20, 2016, the FDA announced revisions made to the nutrition facts label. The new label makes it easier for people to make healthier choices. The refreshed design enlarges the text of some important information (like calories) and bolds the text of other important information (like serving size). Manufacturers are required to list actual amounts of Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium. Amounts of other vitamins can be included on a voluntary basis. There was also some editing done to the footnote to more clearly explain what percent daily value (%DV) means.
As nutrition science has developed over the last 20+ years since the old label was made, the new label reflects more detailed nutrition information. Added sugars will now be on the label. Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium are required nutrients, but the previously required vitamins A and C are no longer required to be on the label. Calories from fat has been removed because the type of fat consumed, rather than the amount, is more important. Percent daily values (%DV) of some nutrients are being updated as well.
Another major change to the label is serving size and labeling requirements for certain packaged foods and drinks. Serving size is being updated to provide a more accurate reflection of the amount people eat or drink at one time. Packages that contain 1-2 servings will now be consolidated as 1 serving because most people will consume a whole package or container in one sitting. For example, a large bottle of Powerade can easily be consumed throughout a period of physical activity. Items that can be consumed in one or multiple sittings will have dual labels showing the nutrition information for one serving and one package.
Though the label was proposed May 20, 2016, the compliance date for companies is not until July 26, 2018. Companies with food sales equaling less than $10 million per year have an additional year to comply with the changes. Pay attention next time you go to the grocery store. Some items will have the new food label design printed already, and others are still working on it. Below is an example from the FDA of the differences between the old and new labels that were mentioned previously.
Source: http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm385663.htm
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