On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pulled back the curtain on an updated Nutrition Facts panel that will appear on almost all packaged food and beverage products sold in the United States.
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The label change has been something First Lady Michelle Obama has been pushing for since 2014.
The Food and Drug Administration announced a new Nutrition Facts label today-its first major redesign since 1994. The World Health Organization recommends trying to eat no more than five percent added sugars.
The changes are the first in decades. For instance, an avocado gets about 80% of its calories from fat.
A new line will tell people how much sugar has been added to a processed food. Under the new rules, the labels will indicate how much sugar was added to sweeten the food – that’s in addition to the naturally occurring sugar, as in, say, a fruit – and what percent of daily intake that is. The updates to the label will help increase consumer awareness of the quantity of added sugars in foods.
Labels will also have two columns, one showing all the relevant information for a serving size, and the other for the whole package. And it will be easier to discern how many servings are in a container as part of an attempt to revise often misleading serving sizes. By law, serving sizes must be based on the portion consumers actually eat. Serving sizes have been updated to be more realistic about how much someone consumes at one time.
“I think front of pack labeling has more potential to have a bigger impact on consumers”, he said. The FDA determines what nutrients go on the label based on food consumption surveys. Vitamin D and potassium – nutrients Americans often do not get enough of – will be required. Vitamin C and Vitamin A listings are no longer required but can be included. Calcium and iron content will continue to be required on the new labels.
Here’s what you need to know about the changes to the label, which will take effect in two years. Smaller manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales have until 2019.
Industry reaction has been mixed. The agency is also responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
Proposed changes were released July 2015 and after reviewing public comments and research, the FDA made changes to the labels. The new nutrition labels means that there are eight differences you can try to spot Where’s Waldo? style while you stare at the back of your snack while you pretend to watch your kids soccer match on a weekend morning. (AP Photo/J. David Ake, File) J.
Consumers may notice the added sugars information most when buying sugary drinks. Again, that guideline works out to about 50 grams of added sugar a day for adults, but in contrast, the American Heart Association recommends that women eat no more 24 grams of added sugar, while for men their recommended limit is 36 grams.
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Our goal is to help people make better informed food choices that support a healthy diet.
