The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put an improved version of the nutrition facts food label into effect on January 1, 2020 for food companies with more than 10 million in annual sales. All food companies must adopt the new food label by the end of 2020.
So what’s on this new food label you ask? And how does it help me be a healthier shopper? Let’s do a side by side comparison and discuss how this information can be utilized.
Calories will be displayed in a larger and bolder font to draw more attention to the product’s caloric value.
Serving Sizes have been updated to be more reflective of a portion consumed. This will make the rest of the nutrition facts label more relevant to consumers and cut back on any math that was previously required. In some product cases, where the entire package could be consumed in one sitting (like a bag of chips or a bottle of soda), you may find a nutrition label with two columns: one column will represent the recommended serving (like seven chips), and the other will display how much you're eating if you consumed the entire package.
Added Sugar is a new feature to the nutrition facts label and I could not be more excited about this inclusion. This will allow natural sugars (like the sugar found in fruit) to be separated from the sugar added in processing (like high fructose corn syrup). This helps consumers understand how much additional sugar they are getting through processed foods.
Potassium is another new addition to the nutrition facts label. With dangerously low consumption of fruits and vegetables in the typical American diet, potassium intake has become a concern. Currently, 3,500-4,700 milligrams of potassium per day is recommended.
Vitamin D is another nutrient lacking in the majority of American diets, so it will now appear on the nutrition facts label. The recommended daily value for vitamin D is 800 IU, depending on your age and state of health. You’ll find vitamin D in the flesh of fatty fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel as well as fortified dairy products like milk. It is important to keep in mind that Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, meaning it is better absorbed and utilized in the presence of dietary fat.
While we’re talking about the food label, some old favorites are still represented there and it’s a good time to point these things out.
- Fiber- Americans are not getting enough. The recommended intake is 25 grams daily. If a product has 3 grams or more of fiber per serving it is considered a good source of fiber.
- Fat - Total fat is comprised of saturated fat, trans fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. It is now required to list fats in this level of detail because not all fats are created equal. Mono and polyunsaturated fats are the more healthful fats found in things like olive oil, fish, and avocados. Saturated fats are the artery clogging fats found in red meat, butter, and pork. Fat needs vary with a person’s height, weight, and activity level, but saturated fat should be minimized in the diet.
There is A LOT of information available on the nutrition facts label. I hope this tutorial helps you decode what you’re reading!