In May 2016, the FDA announced that changes were going to be made to all nutrition labels. If you have been looking at food labels, you may have noticed that some of them already look slightly different while others are still in the same format that we are used to. The main reason for this is because the FDA has given manufactures time to prepare the new format and account for the costs these changes will take. They have even extended the compliance date from July 2018 to January 2020 for companies making more than 10 million dollars and to January 2021 for companies making less than that. However, you should continue to see more and more food labels taking on the new format.
What’s new
Bigger and bolder fonts
The FDA will require all labels to have larger, bolder fonts, making products quicker and easier to compare, so we, as consumers, can choose the best options. They have enlarged and bolded the font for calories, servings per container, and serving size. You will no longer need to use that magnifying glass to read the small text on some food items.
Added sugars
My favorite change is that the new labels will now have added sugars listed in grams and percent daily values!! Is sugar in a donut the same as sugar in an apple? Well, yes and no. While both taste sweet, one is naturally occurring while the other is added. Naturally occurring sugar in foods like fruit, vegetables, and dairy are also accompanied with other good things such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve helped people with their diet who tell me they are cutting back on fruit because “eating an apple is just as bad for you as eating a candy bar.” Yes, I have actually been told this and many other things similar to this! Hopefully, by listing the added sugar on food labels, more people will understand that there is a difference between naturally occurring sugars and those that are added. This will be a huge game changer for food items such as yogurt, because you will easily be able to tell if the sugar is coming from the milk, fruit, or additives from the manufacturer.
Serving sizes
Another change that I am very excited for is serving sizes. The FDA has previously created serving sizes based on the average person’s consumption. The original food label is over 20 years old!! A lot of things have changed since the last food labels were made, including what people consider to be a serving size and the packaging of food items. And yes, packaging does play a huge role into what serving sizes are. How much you eat is directly affected by the container holding your food. Some companies have used serving size in the past to their advantage by giving you more than one serving in what appears to be a single-serving item, but in reality is two. For example, if a typical consumer is given a 20-ounce soda, they would most likely drink the entire soda and consider that a single serving size. Upon closer inspection of the food label, they would discover that the bottle actually contains two-and-a-half servings! And yes, that means you have to multiply everything else on the label by two-and-a-half, so they would have consumed way more calories and sugar than what they originally intended. The new nutrition label will insure that individually sold items are now listed as one serving with true calories to reflect that. There will even be a dual column for larger packages stating the calories per serving as well as the calories in the whole package. This will make manufactures more straightforward, so we, as the consumers, will be better informed about our food choices.
Fat
Some people may not like this one, but calories from fat is going to be removed from the labels. The label, however, will still have total fat, trans fat, and saturated fat. The reason for this is that new research has shown that the type of fat is more important to people’s health than the amount of calories consumed from fat. I am actually pretty pleased with this change, because, for a long time, we have lived in a pretty fat-phobic society. But fat means satiety, energy, flavor, and so much more! I am not saying that we need to go out of our way to eat a super high-fat diet, but typically, diets that are low in fat are higher in sugar. Keeping a diet that has a good amount of healthy fats can help with appetite control, stable blood sugars, and consistent energy.
Remember that these changes are made to keep up with the latest research in nutrition. Since nutrition is an ever-evolving science, it is necessary to make these improvements. These changes are not made just for the sake of a new look; the FDA has spent a lot of time and research to make sure that the the new nutrition labels will better inform consumers. If you want to read more about all of the changes to come, check out the FDA's site.
Michelle Alley
iFit Nutritionist BS
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@refuelwithmichelle
