Understanding Food Packaging Labels: A Guide to Decoding Nutritional Information
Understanding Food Labels: A Guide to Making Healthier Choices
Food labels are essential tools for consumers, providing information about the nutrients in the food or beverage and how they compare with the government's daily recommendations. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates food labels to ensure accuracy and transparency.
The Nutrition Facts Label is the primary source of food information on packaging. It details the amounts of essential nutrients such as sodium, saturated fat, added sugars, dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium. The label also includes Calories, which measure the energy one gets from a serving of food or drink.
The % Daily Value (%DV) is a crucial part of the Nutrition Facts Label. It shows the percentage of the daily value for each nutrient in a serving of the food. For instance, a food with a 5% DV or less of a nutrient per serving is considered low, while a food with 20% DV or more is high. The FDA advises people to choose foods that are higher in %DV for dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium, and lower in %DV for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.
The FDA recommends limiting Added Sugars to less than 10% of total daily calories. However, single-ingredient sugar labels do not detail the number of grams of added sugars but must display the % DV for added sugars.
Food labels come in various types. Back-of-pack nutrition information panels are mandatory in many countries and provide detailed nutrient content and ingredient lists. Voluntary nutrition and health claims may appear on packaging, such as claims like "low in sugar." Front-of-pack (FOP) labels are designed to quickly inform consumers about the nutritional quality. They fall mainly into two categories: Nutritional Warning Labels and Algorithm-based Labels.
Nutritional Warning Labels, such as the black octagonal "stop" signs used in some countries, highlight foods high in sugar, sodium, saturated fats, or calories. These labels have been shown to effectively reduce purchases of unhealthy foods and encourage manufacturers to reformulate products to be healthier. Algorithm-based labels, like the European Nutri-Score and the Australian/New Zealand Health Star Rating, provide a holistic healthfulness score based on multiple nutrients. However, these systems sometimes miss important factors like whole grain content, which can affect how well they promote healthier choices.
The serving size is at the top of the Nutrition Facts Label and details how many servings the food item contains and the serving size. The FDA permits manufacturers to use other formats of the standard nutrition label, including dual-column labels and single-ingredient sugar labels. Some nutrients, such as total sugars or trans fats, don't have a %DV as experts have not established how much or little people should eat daily.
When looking at sugar in foods and drinks, there is a difference between total and added sugars. Added sugars are those that manufacturers add during processing. The FDA initiated changes to food labeling as part of its nutrition initiatives, including updating the claim "healthy" and developing a healthy symbol, developing front-of-package food labeling, and exploring labeling for online grocery shopping.
The FDA bases its recommendations on nutrients lacking in the American diet and those which may lead to adverse health consequences if people overeat them. The FDA advises that someone can learn their estimated calorie needs using the MyPlate resource. By understanding food labels, consumers can make informed, healthier food choices, helping to prevent diet-related diseases.
- Consuming foods higher in dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium, and lower in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars, according to the percent daily value (%DV) on the Nutrition Facts Label, can contribute to healthier choices and potentially weight loss.
- Other nutrition factors, such as whole grain content, can also be significant in promoting healthier choices, but they may not always be captured in algorithm-based labels like the European Nutri-Score and the Australian/New Zealand Health Star Rating.
- Food labels not only provide information about calories, but they also reveal the amounts of essential nutrients that compare with the government's daily recommendations in the United States, making it easier for consumers to make healthy food choices for themselves and their families.
- The MyPlate resource developed by the FDA can help individuals determine their estimated calorie needs, providing a useful tool for maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet that supports overall health and mental health.
- Scientific evidence indicates that understanding food labels can empower consumers to make informed decisions about food and food benefits, reducing the risk of diet-related health issues and fostering a culture of health-and-wellness.
