Reading the nutrition facts label is significant, but it can sometimes be challenging to comprehend, leading to misunderstandings.
As of February 2022, The Nutrition Facts label was updated, making it easier to gauge how nutritious products are. In addition, it considers updated scientific information, nutrition research, and feedback from people like us.
The latest additions to the food label include
Cleaner design: Serving size and Calories are printed in a larger, bolder font.
Serving sizes values updated
Daily values are updated
New additions: added sugars, Vitamin D, and potassium
Amount and % of the daily value of vitamins
Serving Size
Many people often look at the serving size and immediately think it's the amount of food they should eat in a sitting. However, that is not accurate. Serving size is a particular measurement of the food within the package. For example, the serving size can be ¼ cup, 1 cup, and more.
The serving size has been updated to align closer to the amount of food people typically consume. If you find that the amount of added sugars in a serving that's ¼ cup is 15 grams, it's probably not the most nutritious snack.
Calories
The Calories are quantified to be the suggested amount of energy needed. Although consumer packaged goods indicate '2,0000' a day, it varies from person to person, depending on age, gender, weight, activity levels, and more.
A person that works out 30 minutes a day may need more than 2,000 calories to stay at a sufficient energy level and achieve a fitness goal of strengthening their muscles.
% Daily Value
This measurement is probably one of the most understandable. It indicates the percentage of nutrients needed daily compared to the nutrients provided within that serving.
Not only are the percentages listed, but the amount of nutrients within a serving of food is displayed.
Nutrients
The latest nutrition label has added more information that details the nutrition within the food and omitted information.
Here's what's omitted from the nutrition labels:
Calories from Fat: Instead of emphasizing the quantity of fat, the focus is on fat quality. Omega-3 fatty acids, Omega-6 fatty acids, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated are considered "healthy fats, while consumption of saturated and trans fats should be significantly minimized.
Vitamin A & C: These vitamins are no longer required because it's rare for people to have Vitamin A & C deficiencies.
Newly added information:
Added Sugars: Sugar consumption is significantly high within the United States, and to help people make informed decisions, they can now better understand the sugar quality. Added sugar isn't referring to naturally occurring sugars, like sugar within a fruit; added sugar includes table sugar and a variety of other sweeteners.
The American Heart Association suggests a maximum limit for added sugars, as displayed in the table below.
Most Men | 9 teaspoons | 36 grams | 150 calories |
Most Women | 6 teaspoons | 24 grams | 100 calories |
Most Children | 5 teaspoons or less | 23 grams or less | 99 calories or less |
Vitamin D and Potassium: About 50% of Americans are Vitamin D deficient, so manufacturers must list this micronutrient and potassium.
Calcium and Iron: These micronutrients are still listed, as many Americans are still lacking their recommended amount
The Nutrition Facts label is a resource we should all leverage to ensure the food we purchase aligns with our lifestyle goals. There are general rules of thumb for foods to minimize, like processed foods, added sugars, and saturated and trans fat. In addition, it's good to speak to your doctor to understand what minerals your body might be lacking and talk to a dietician to curate a healthy food list that closely aligns with your needs.
Source: (1) FDA: What’s New with the Nutrition Facts Label? (2) American Heart Association: Added Sugars