Consumer Savvy: Reading Food Labels to Make Better Choices

We’ve been trying to improve our diet and lifestyle, exercising more and eating healthier. But the truth is that many people don’t know how to improve their diet. There are so many claims out there that it is hard to keep track of what is actually good for you versus what is just pure baloney. I’m sure that by now you already know the dietary recommendations by heart: eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean cuts of meat, while reducing saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium intake. We are supposed to eat fewer energy-dense processed foods and more nutrient-dense whole foods. But let’s face it: we live in times where most food comes in boxes, cans, or packages. That’s why learning to interpret the data available on food labels is so important.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the government agency responsible for creating rules and monitoring food and beverage labeling. Its job is to assure that all labels are consistent in order to enable consumers to compare brands and products. According to the FDA, virtually all packaged foods must contain the following information: product name, name and address of the manufacturer, amount of product in the package, and ingredient list. Products larger than 12 square inches also have to display a Nutritional Facts panel specifying serving size, number of servings per container, the number of calories, and several nutrients per serving. Manufacturers are allowed to display nutrient content claims such as “low-fat” or “sugar-free” and health claims[1], but must adhere to and follow very specific rules set by the FDA. Let’s take a closer look at some important aspects of food labeling.

1. Serving size versus portion size

Serving size is standardized by the FDA with the sole objective of enabling consumers to compare the nutritional profile of similar foods, while portion size is the amount of food you choose to eat. Unfortunately, the serving size for some foods such as canned soup and ice cream do not reflect the average portion size. Serving sizes for these products are considerably smaller than what a person is likely to consume, which can be deceiving.

Beware that most packaged foods contain more than one serving, meaning that if you eat the whole container, you’ll be consuming way more calories, fat, and sodium than is stated on the nutritional panel. As a smart consumer, your first step should be to check the serving size. Then, keep in mind that all the nutritional information on the label refers to that specific serving size.

2. Nutritional Facts panel

The Nutritional Facts panel indicates the amount of certain mandatory nutrients in one serving of the product. According to the FDA regulations, all products should state:

• The serving size and the number of servings per package.
• The number of calories per serving and how many of them come from fat. This is important to determine whether a product is energy-dense (provides lots of calories but few nutrients) or nutrient-dense (provides lots of nutrients with fewer calories).
• The amount of total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium in one serving of the product. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, these nutrients are linked to many chronic diseases; therefore, they should be limited in your diet. When it comes to these nutrients, less is better.
• Total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, and sugars per serving. Fiber is a vital nutrient of which most Americans do not consume enough. Keep in mind that the current recommendation for adults is 25 g of fiber in a 2,000 calorie diet. Foods containing 5 g of fiber or more per serving are considered high in fiber.
• The amount of protein per serving. Most Americans consume more than enough protein in their diets. Thus, protein is not a nutrient of concern.
• Vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron per serving. The amounts of these nutrients appear on the label as a percentage of daily value[2]. Keep in mind that 5% or less is considered low, 10% or more is good, and 20% or more is high.

 

3. Ingredients list

Every packaged food must list its ingredients in descending order by weight. This means that the first item listed contributes to the largest proportion of the product. The ingredient list can tell a lot about the food you are about to consume, so it is worth your time to check it before buying. For instance, if you are seeking a whole-grain product, you should look for words like “whole grain oats,” “whole wheat,” “brown rice,” or “wheatberries,” among others. The ingredient list can also be valuable when comparing similar products of different brands. If a product has items such as sugar or corn syrup as one of the first ingredients in the list, you may want to look for a product with a better nutritional profile. In addition, if you have some type of food allergy or intolerance, it is wise to go through the ingredient list to check whether any item could pose harm to you.

4. Nutrient content claims

The FDA allows manufacturers to state nutrient claims on food labels in order to help consumers make informed choices. However, these claims must follow legal definitions, and products must meet strict criteria, making those claims reliable.

But before you stock up on your favorite diet soda and reduced fat ice cream, it is vital that you understand some of these definitions. Also, don’t forget that all claims refer to specific serving sizes, not the whole content of the package.

 

5. Health claims

Health claims are statements linking the nutritional profile of a food to a reduced risk of a particular disease. The FDA set very strict rules to the use of health claims, so you can rely on them. You’ve probably seen those in many products from ready-to-eat cereals to bubble gums. Examples are “Soluble fiber in whole oats may reduce the risk of heart disease.” or “Diets low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, a disease associated with many factors.” For more information on the subject visit the FDA website.

References

“Food Labels Confound Consumers.” IDEA Fitness Journal. Oct. 2011: 61.

“How to Understand and Use the Nutritional Facts Label.” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available at http://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/consumerinformation/ucm078889.htm#see1

Boyle, M. and Long, S. Personal Nutrition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. 2010.

Wardlaw, G. and Smith, A. Contemporary Nutrition. New York: McGraw-Hill. 2009

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