Monday, August 15, 2016

The New Food Fact Label

The Nutritional Fact Label is about to change.  It has been the same since first introduced about 20 years ago.  For me, on a scale of 1-10 the information on a food label rates a 10; a very high priority!  It's maybe even more.  There are two big changes coming.  The print for serving size and calories per serving will be in larger print and bold.  I won't be digging my glasses out of my purse so much.  In my opinion, the most important change is about sugar. Currently sugar is included under total carbohydrate.  In the future there will be a line for "total sugars" and under that another for
"includes X grams added sugar".  On an average we Americans get about 13% of daily calories from added sugars.  The 13% comes primarily from sugar sweetened drinks including sodas, coffee and tea sweetened with sugar, alcohol, energy drinks and then all the other treats like desserts.  One change is somewhat disappointing.  The serving size will be based on the amounts people typically consume; not on how much they should consume. While I suppose it all comes out the same, it seems as if permission is granted to eat more and sometimes more of a bad thing. Theree are other good changes as well and, of course, all good changes take time.  Not tomorrow.  Soon.  Kind of soon. As always, real food doesn't have a label. Squash is squash and tomatoes are tomatoes. 

For more information check out U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label and www.NutritionData.com.