The next time you’re in the cookie aisle, you might notice the nutrition information on your favorite package of treats looks different. Did your cookies get healthier?
No. No they didn’t. In addition to highlighting and removing
some information, the way some nutrition facts are calculated has been updated.
Here’s a look at the new label and what you can expect to see when the new
labels start appearing on packaged foods in your grocery store or your local
Walgreens.
Calories &
Servings
This May, Michelle Obama unveiled the first changes to the
“Nutrition Facts” label in 20 years. The most noticeable change is the bolded and
enlarged size of “Calories” and “Serving size”, which more clearly calls out
the calories in each serving.1
The FDA has recently determined “serving sizes must be based
on amounts of foods and beverages that people are actually eating, not what
they should be eating.” This includes packaging considerations. For packaged
foods that are commonly eaten in one sitting but contain two or more servings,
an additional “per package” or “per unit” column will be added to display the
nutrition information in the entire package.
Calories From Fat
Score another one for the avocado. Research has shown foods
like avocados, nuts and olive oils to be high in monounsaturated (aka “the
good”) fat—which can help reduce bad cholesterol and help lower the risk of
stroke and heart disease. But there’s still a stigma out there that these are
“fatty” or unhealthy foods because of their overall high fat content. To help
quell that fear, and focus on the types of fats contained in foods, not the
amounts, “Calories from fat” has been removed.
New Daily Values
Now, about those cookies. Considering recent dietary
research, the FDA has lowered the daily values of:2
- Total carbohydrates from
300 g to 275 g - Sodium from 2,400 mg to 2,300 mg
And raised the daily values of:2
- Dietary Fiber
from 25 g to 28 g - Vitamin D from 10 mcg to 20 mcg
- Calcium from 1,000 mg to 1,300 mg
- Potassium from 3,500 mg to 4,700 mg
- Fat from 65 g to 78 g
So, if you’re still looking at the package of cookies and
have noticed their daily value of fat has gone from 11% to 9%, it’s not because
they’ve gotten less fattening. It’s because the FDA has increased the daily
value of fat to encourage the consumption of healthy fats, not cookies.
Added Sugar
Ever wonder if the sugar in that bottle of juice is really
just naturally occurring sugars from fruit, or if it contains any secret added
sugars? Based on current research that recommends lowering added sugars, the
FDA has included “Added Sugars” on the new label to distinguish sugars that
occur naturally in foods like fruit from those that can be often added during
processing.1
Vitamins &
Minerals
Vitamins A and C will no longer be required on the label. In
the early 1990’s, American diets often lacked these vitamins, but today these
deficiencies are rare. Conversely, Vitamin D and potassium deficiencies do
exist in today’s population and will now be required to be listed on the label.1
Is it Healthy?
The new Nutrition Facts label is a step forward in helping
families make more informed decisions on the foods they purchase. But it might
be a while before you see it. We sent our team of interns to every food aisle
within a reasonable distance from our downtown Chicago office to snap a picture
of the new label (with a sandwich as the prize). They reported back with zero
photos of new food labels (but some snacks). That’s because major manufacturers
have until Summer 2018 to have the label present on their products.
Beyond the label, the FDA says in a
recent statement that it will be evaluating the criteria used to claim a
product is “healthy”. It will be asking for public feedback, planning public forums
and engaging companies to examine just what qualifies a food as a healthy for
consumers. Like the new label, it won’t happen overnight. But overall, it’s
another great step in helping us make healthier choices.
Sources:
1 U.S. Food & Drug
Administration. (2016, August 03). Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label. Retrieved
September 26, 2016 from http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm385663.htm
2 Office of the
Federal Register. (2014, March 03). Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition
and Supplement Facts Labels. Retrieved September 26, 2016 from https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2014/03/03/2014-04387/food-labeling-revision-of-the-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels
