Whether you’re aiming to lose weight, cut down on sugar, eat organic and non-GMO foods, or just be health-conscious, food labels and Nutrition Facts are essential tools for making informed decisions about your diet. In July 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated the Nutrition Facts label for the first time since 1990. Although the new labels look similar, they include significant changes that we’ll detail here.
What Is a Food Label?
The Nutrition Facts label is a black and white, rectangular label found on packaged food products. It provides details on serving sizes, calories, ingredients, and nutritional breakdowns, helping you make informed dietary choices. Fresh fruits and vegetables typically don’t have these labels unless packaged in bulk, but they do have price look-up (PLU) codes. These codes can indicate whether produce is organic or conventionally grown. The USDA also offers a food nutrition database and chart to help evaluate foods.
Why Is It Important to Read Food Labels?
Food labels are crucial as they provide information on ingredients, serving sizes, calories, nutritional content, and allergens. This information helps you compare products and make smart dietary choices, which can greatly impact your overall wellness. With a bit of understanding, food labels are designed to be clear and easy to read, allowing you to become proficient at analyzing them.
How Do I Read the Nutrition Facts Labels?
The Nutrition Facts label consists of five sections:
Serving Size
At the top, below “Nutrition Facts,” you’ll find the serving size, usually measured in grams, ounces, or cups, along with the number of servings per container. Knowing the serving size helps you determine how much to eat. For instance, a serving of Cacao Goji Power Snacks equals about three pieces. If you eat half a bag (about 12 pieces) in one sitting, you consume four times the calories and nutrients listed on the label.
Calories Per Serving
This section lists calories per serving on the left and calories from fat on the right. According to the FDA, foods with 40 calories or less are low-calorie, those with 100 calories are moderate, and those with 400 calories or more are high-calorie.
Macronutrients, Sodium, and Cholesterol
Following the calories, you’ll see the breakdown of macronutrients: fat, carbohydrates, and protein, along with sodium and cholesterol. Total fat is divided into saturated and trans fats, followed by cholesterol, sodium, potassium, total carbohydrates (including dietary fiber and sugars), and protein. The % Daily Value (% DV) for each is listed on the right side.
Vitamins and Minerals
Beneath the macronutrient section, the label lists the % Daily Value of certain vitamins and minerals, along with their amounts. Foods may contain more vitamins and minerals than required to be listed on the label.
Footnote
The footnote states: “The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.”
What About the Ingredients?
Ingredients are listed below the Nutrition Facts label in order of quantity. The first ingredient is the most abundant, followed by the next, and so on. For example, if avocado is the first ingredient in packaged guacamole, the product is mostly avocado. The same applies to products with high fructose corn syrup listed among the first ingredients.
What Does Daily Value (DV) and % Daily Value Mean?
Daily Value is the recommended daily amount of a substance for an average person on a 2,000-calorie diet, while % Daily Value (% DV) shows the percentage of this daily amount in a serving of food. This helps you determine if a food has too much sodium or cholesterol or a healthy amount of dietary fiber. Generally, 5% DV or less is low, while 20% DV or more is high.
A Brand New Food Label as of 2020
The last full update to the Nutrition Facts label was in 1993. With new knowledge about nutrients and diet, the FDA required manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual food sales to use the new label by 2020, and smaller manufacturers by 2021. Imported foods are also subject to these changes.
How Will the New Food Label Be Different?
The new label, based on updated science, nutrition research, public health recommendations, and consumer feedback, will look similar but have some changes:
Slight Change in Design But Keeping the Look
The overall look remains the same, but font sizes for calories, servings per container, and serving size will increase, with calories and serving size in bold.
Different Minerals and Nutrients Required
Labels must now include both the amount in grams and the % Daily Value for vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium. Listing the amounts for vitamins A and C is now optional since most people get enough of these vitamins.
New Footnote Explanation
The footnote now reads: “The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.”
A New Line For Added Sugar
Labels must include an additional line for added sugar, listed in grams and as % Daily Value. Major health organizations agree that reducing added sugar is important. The FDA notes that it is hard to meet nutrient needs within calorie limits if more than 10% of total daily calories come from added sugars.
Changes to the Fats Section
The label will still include total fat, saturated fat, and trans fat, but “calories from fat” will be removed. The FDA emphasizes that the type of fat consumed is more important than the total amount.
Serving Sizes and Package Sizes
Serving sizes have been updated to reflect what people typically eat. Snack packages that could be consumed in one sitting must be labeled as one serving. Packages with multiple servings but likely to be consumed in one sitting will include a “dual column” to show calories and nutrients per serving and per package.
Other Changes to Food Labels
Partially Hydrogenated Oils Are No Longer Allowed
As of June 18, 2018, the FDA banned partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) in foods, except for specific approved items. Trans fats have been linked to heart disease and are no longer considered safe.
New GMO Labels
By 2022, foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) must be labeled as “bioengineered” or “Derived from bioengineering.” This law requires labels, symbols, or QR codes to inform consumers about GMOs, applying to products with more than 5% GMO ingredients.
How Do You Know If Your Food Has GMOs?
Until the new GMO labels are fully implemented, here are tips to avoid GMOs:
Look for the Non-GMO Verified Seal
The Non-GMO Project Verified Seal ensures products contain no more than 0.9% GMOs. Organic foods with the USDA’s 100% organic seal generally don’t contain GMOs.
Avoid Canola, Corn, Soy, and Sugar and Their Derivatives
Products made with canola, corn, soy, and sugar typically contain GMOs. Look for alternatives like cane sugar, molasses, agave, turbinado sugar, natural raw honey, stevia, and monk fruit.
Do You Read Food Labels?
Understanding food labels can significantly impact your health. They help you make better dietary choices by providing essential information about what you eat.
