US Nutrition Labels Getting a Make Over

AnexRavensong
AnexRavensong Posts: 262 Member
in Food and Nutrition
The calories are more obvious, and the calories listed on things like a can of soda are actually for the WHOLE CAN which most people drink. I think that is the biggest useful thing... often labels are deceiving and when you glance at the store you get home and find out it is worse than you thought. The serving size is also listed TWICE and once again next to the calories.

The changes seem really great so far, I wish France could catch up to even the OLD US labels :/ I'm really sick of the 100g standard everything is listed in.. be it more or less for the serving size.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/27/health/nutrition-labels-changes/index.html

Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Not bad. Not like most people look at labels anyway.

    I hear you about France though, always a pain to enter the stuff my mom brings back... although I like the calories per 100g thing, it makes it easier IMO... But some stuff still doesn't have nutrition info on it, so it just stays in the pantry.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Protein not worth listing now ?
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
    Protein not worth listing now ?
    I'm guessing that just got pushed down and didnt fit.
    ---

    It makes sense to me to have per 100g or some similar measure. Pisses me off how in the US they just make up serving size.
    The other day I had a cupcake where the serving size was half. Had instant coffee drink where the serving size was 1/3 of a cup...
  • weightliftingdiva
    weightliftingdiva Posts: 522 Member
    Protein not worth listing now ?

    If protein is not listed I'm going to rage. Besides cals that's the only thing I really care about. :(
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    Protein not worth listing now ?

    Is it mandatory for labels to include protein now? I think most companies just include it anyway, but I'm not sure if it's required by law?
  • girldownsouth
    girldownsouth Posts: 920 Member
    The worst I had for portion size the other day was a 23g bag of popcorn that stated a recommended serving size was 20g!!
  • KristinaB83
    KristinaB83 Posts: 440 Member
    The worst I had for portion size the other day was a 23g bag of popcorn that stated a recommended serving size was 20g!!

    Ugh.... Why even bother? lol

    That seems so silly to me.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    I wish they would get rid of the DV%, it's useless. Give us a pie chart with carbs, fats, protein, fiber, and we can even throw sugars in there too for the people who are freaked out by sugar for each serving size. It's much easier for people to identify colors and sizes on a pie chart than trying to get them to calculate calories and percentages of macros from a chart, and it would make choosing foods that much easier. Although if they are making this change, I'm not sure why they can't just go ahead and have companies change other labels on the boxes too with universal symbols that tell us organic, vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, GMO, dairy free, etc. Seems pretty simple to do it all at once.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Is it mandatory for labels to include protein now? I think most companies just include it anyway, but I'm not sure if it's required by law?

    no idea, the new label shown in the OP's link didn't have it.

    Found the old rules :-

    "N22. Why is the declaration of the DRV for protein not mandatory?

    Answer: The percent of the DRV is required if a protein claim is made for the product or if the product is represented or purported to be for use by infants or children under 4 years of age. Based on current scientific evidence that protein intake is not a public health concern for adults and children over 4 years of age, and because of the costs associated with a determination of the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS), FDA has determined that declaration of the percent of the DRV for protein need not be provided when a claim is not made. "
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    The calories are more obvious, and the calories listed on things like a can of soda are actually for the WHOLE CAN which most people drink. I think that is the biggest useful thing... often labels are deceiving and when you glance at the store you get home and find out it is worse than you thought. The serving size is also listed TWICE and once again next to the calories.

    The changes seem really great so far, I wish France could catch up to even the OLD US labels :/ I'm really sick of the 100g standard everything is listed in.. be it more or less for the serving size.

    http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/27/health/nutrition-labels-changes/index.html
    I prefer the 100 g standard. Makes it really easy comparing two similar food items with each other.

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