Food Labels Changing To a Simpler Layout
When you pick up a box of pasta or some cookies at the supermarket and look at the label, what do you see? Chances are, you may see the fat percentage, sugar and calories – but the rest seems to be a blurred jumble of information. Thanks to first lady Michelle Obama, nutrition labels are changing for the better. And according to The Washington Post, this is the first time in 20 years that there is an overhaul occurring on food labels.
The reason behind the changed labels
The first lady’s goal has been to motivate Americans to get healthier, and part of that is giving them the opportunity to make better choices when it comes to food. The nutrition label on the back of food boxes is supposed to give consumers all of the information they need, and it does. But that doesn’t mean that it’s easily understood by everyone. Unless you have a degree in nutrition or attended an online culinary school, absorbing all of the facts on these labels can be tough.
How are the labels changing?
The Food and Drug Administration is working on altering these labels with simplicity in mind. The organization is working to highlight the most important information. For example, the amount of calories in a certain food will be presented in large, bold lettering at the top of the nutrition facts table. According to the FDA, cutting the amount of calories consumed can help Americans get healthier, which is why there is such an emphasis on the amount of calories in each food product.
Another aspect of the nutrition facts that will be changing how the sugar in a certain product is displayed. Sugar consumption has been an issue for some time for Americans. Too much of it has been linked to serious health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. And sometimes, it’s not always easy to determine how much sugar is in a certain product. Take flavored yogurt, for example. This seemingly healthy food can actually contain from 16 to 28 grams of sugar, according to Next Avenue. The FDA is planning on providing more information as to exactly how much sugar is in food and will make a note on the label when a food has added sugar. Having the sugar content be so apparent could actually motivate some companies to cut back on the amount they’re putting into their products.
The outlook
These new labels are expected to make their appearance in 2015 on store shelves. It is hoped that the changes made to the nutrition facts will make it much easier for parents to feed their families food that is healthier.
