Dietitian Tips: Navigating a Nutrition Facts Label

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 10:32:30 -0500

By Adam Sachs, RD with contributions from David Fitzgerald, Nutrition Intern

The nutrition facts label can be a great way to examine the nutrition of certain products before you purchase them. The information displayed on the label can be overwhelming at times, but once you know what to look for, it can become a very useful tool. In 2015 the FDA made changes to the required appearance and content of the nutrition facts label. All food producers have until 2020 to change over the labels on all of their products, but there is a good chance you have seen the new label already on your usual food items.

A couple major changes to take note of is the portion size and font size of servings, calories, and major nutrients. The serving size was made to be more accurate for a realistic servings. For example, on the previous label sometimes things like a candy bar would be split into two servings, and it is unlikely for someone to eat just half a candy bar. The font size of the serving size and calorie amounts was also bolded and increased to make them easier to spot on a label at the store. Another important distinction on the new label is the inclusion of the “added sugars” section of the label. This tells consumers how much sugar is put into the product that is not naturally found there.

Overconsumption of added sugars is linked to many health problems, so being able to recognize it easily on a label can allow people to be more health conscious. Keeping 80% of the products you buy below 10g of added sugar is a good practice to reduce your overall intake. Some other things to look for in a food label is fiber amount. The daily recommendations for fiber is 25-35 grams per day, and many people fall short of this goal. Fiber can be good for Heart and digestive health, while also reducing the impact of added sugars in many foods. Great sources of fiber include whole grains, Legumes, nuts/seeds, and fruits & vegetables. Just being more conscious of the food label and the products you buy can lead you to making overall healthier purchased, and can contribute to more mindful eating practices.

A student’s Perspective

Growing up, my ideas of what food should be on my plate and how it affected my body was related to the perception my family and friends had on food. They only knew what school, or the news taught them about food but never realized the consequences of eating excessive amounts of food containing harmful additives. My family and friends mainly believed that as long as it tastes good you should eat it. This act of nonchalantly ingesting food due to this reasoning can cause future problems in our bodies as we only have one body to carry us the rest of our lives.

Over two years ago I switched to be more health-conscious about my body and watching what I ate. I became pescatarian and tried to avoid added sugars in food products. Not only did I do this, but I continued researching ways to preserve your body and the effects they have are great. I have told my family and friends about my research and at first they weren’t receptive, but over time they realized that doing this will change how your body reacts. This journey of re-teaching yourself about healthier eating and obtaining an alternative lifestyle is challenging, but it is worth it in the long run.

Some important questions to ask when grocery shopping; "is there a better alternative to this product that I frequently buy? How would my life change without it?" These are important questions because it shows that you have a health-oriented mindset and care about your body’s overall health. Consuming excess sugars can reduce our intake of other healthy foods. Intake of large quantities of added sugars can also be detrimental to your health in the long term. These refined sugars can be found in a lot of your favorite items such as condiments, fruit juices, granola bars and etc. Understanding the logistics of food and how each ingredient plays a part into the preservation of the product and how it affects your body will make you an informed consumer. It will help you understand that food is the fuel for our bodies and if we don’t eat the right foods to boost our vitamin and mineral counts then we will be missing out on obtaining a better version of ourselves.