Whether you’re trying to lose weight, or simply live a healthier lifestyle, it’s important to know what's in the food you're consuming. However, reading food labels isn’t always easy, and for many of us it may just seem like a jumbled mess of numbers.
That’s why the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently passed new regulations on how companies must label packaged foods and beverages. Although the new labels won’t hit grocery store shelves until the summer of 2018, it’s important to understand what to look for.
Serving Sizes
The last time serving size requirements were updated was in 1993, and a lot has changed since then in the way Americans consume foods and beverages. For example, the recommended serving of soda used to be 8 ounces and it will be changing to 12 ounces under the new guidelines. A serving size of ice cream was previously ½ cup and it will be changing to ⅔ cup. While not all suggested servings sizes will be updated, the goal is to better represent what most people truly consume in a typical serving.
“The changes aren’t a free pass to eat more – they’re just a more realistic approach to what most consumers actually eat,” said Nicole Morrissey, registered dietitian.
Serving size labels will also depend on whether or not a food item is typically consumed in one sitting. For foods between one and two servings, such as a 20-ounce soda or a 15-ounce can of soup, nutrition facts will be labeled as one serving. For those products that are often consumed in multiple sittings, manufacturers will be required to include a second column that displays nutrition facts for the entire package/unit as well as a single serving.
Added Sugar
Current food labels list the total grams of sugar contained in a particular food or drink. However, some foods that are good for you, such as yogurt, fruit, and milk, contain a high amount of natural sugars. Taking this into consideration, the new food labels will specify how much sugar has been added to a food or drink as well as what percent Daily Value of your sugar intake it accounts for. According to the FDA, scientific data shows that if you take in more than 10 percent of your total daily calories from added sugar, it is difficult to get the nutrients you need while staying within your calorie limits for the day.
Vitamin D and Potassium
The list of nutrients manufacturers must include on food labels will also vary slightly. Vitamin D and potassium must be listed on the new label in international units (IU’s) and milligrams, respectively, as well as the percent of Daily Value. This change was put into place because, according to the FDA, Americans aren’t getting enough vitamin D and potassium in their diets. Vitamin D is great for bone health, while potassium helps decrease high blood pressure. In addition, Vitamins A and C will no longer be required, but can still be listed on the label voluntarily. Calcium and iron will continue to be required.
“Overall, I’m thrilled with the upcoming changes,” said Nicole. “In the long run, I think it will make it easier for consumers to make more informed decisions about their food purchases and what they eat.”