Nutrition in the News: New Food Labels On Store Shelves

New Food Labels Now Appearing on Food Packages:  new food labels were proposed by the Food and Drug Administration with an implementation date of July 2018.  While this date has been postponed to allow manufacturers more time to comply, many manufacturers are already changing their food labels.  Look at the packages of food you eat for these new labels.  Some companies are early adopters including Nabisco, PepsiCo, and KIND.  So, you will see the new food labels on Wheat Thins, KIND bars, Lay’s Chips, Fritos and Cheetos. 

What are some of the things to look for on these new food labels?

Added Sugars –One of the most important changes is the addition of “added sugar” to the label.  Food labels already include “sugars” but this is of little value as the label didn’t tell you if the “sugars” were added or naturally present in the food.  For example, milk naturally has the sugar, lactose, in it.  So, “sugars” are listed on the milk carton of plain white milk, yet no sugar has been added.  It is the “added sugar” in our diets that we need to be concerned about.

Jiffy Corn Muffins – this week I was making some Jiffy Corn Muffins and the entire back of the package was the new food label.  The food label clearly listed “added sugars”.  The total “sugars” were 8 grams and the “added sugars” were 7 grams.  One could think this is a high sugar product but 7 grams of sugar is only 28 calories.  In a 180-calorie muffin, 28 calories is not a high “added sugar” food.  I was impressed that a small company like Jiffy is an early adopter of the new food label.

Jiffy Corn Muffin

Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, Potassium – these are nutrients of concern in the American diet.  So many people are low in “D” and are not getting enough Calcium, Iron or Potassium in their diets.  One of the changes on the new food label is the “AMOUNT” of these nutrients needs to be on the label and not just the confusing, % Daily Value.   For those trying to add more nutrients like calcium to their diet, they will now be able to clearly see if a food contains a lot or little calcium and how many milligrams (mg) of calcium the food provides.

This week, check out the label on the Lay’s Chips, Wheat Thins or that KIND bar and look for the new Food Label.  I checked out the food label on the Sun Chips we have and it sports the new Food Label as it is a Lay’s chip.  And Sun Chips are a whole grain chip so a good choice for a snack or with your lunch.  



Sources:  Food and Drug Administration, early adopters, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, Potassium  Image Sources:  Sun Chips, Jiffy

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How does coffee and tea affect blood sugar?

Image
Who doesn’t love some morning coffee?   Or, on cold days, a nice hot cup of tea.   Does drinking coffee or tea affect one’s blood glucose levels?    Should healthy adults be concerned about coffee or tea and blood glucose levels?   The Mayo Clinic says that for healthy adults, caffeine will probably have no noticeable effects on their blood sugar or blood glucose levels.   Studies have found that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine is safe for most of us.   A cup of coffee has about 120-180 milligrams of caffeine and most adults drink about 2 cups of coffee a day.   FDA says healthy adults can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine a day which equates to about 4-5 cups of coffee a day, or 10 cans of soda , or 2 “energy shot” drinks.   (See:   Caffeine – good or bad for your health? )     Can drinking coffee or tea reduce chances of getting type 2 diabetes? Some studies have found that coffee, tea, and other drinks with caffei...
Read more

Are there drinks that will help lower your blood pressure?

Image
According to the University of Southern California , almost half of Americans over the age of 20 have high blood pressure.   This means an astounding 122 million Americans.   Unfortunately, as you get older it is more likely to have blood pressure increase.   Many people don’t even know they have high blood pressure or hypertension.   The American Heart Association notes at first there are “no obvious symptoms to indicate something is wrong, but HBP can lead to heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.”    A relative was asking what they could do diet wise to help lower their blood pressure.   We had already discussed the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension).   (See:   Best Diets for Healthy Eating in 2024 .) and physical activity.    Diet wise, they were cutting back on sodium and increasing potassium foods but were wondering if there were anything else like any drinks that could help lower blood pressure?  ...
Read more

How to eat for better sleep

Image
Having trouble sleeping?   Are there foods you can eat that would help you sleep?   My husband sent me an interesting article, 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep . According to CDC , “about 1 in 3 adults in the United States reported not getting enough rest or sleep every day.”   A lot of Americans have problems sleeping, about 50-70 million Americans.   You probably heard that drinking warm milk before bed helps one sleep?   Is this true?   What eating habits really do help you get to sleep and stay asleep? Sleep and hunger Did you know that getting a good night’s sleep affects hunger hormones in your body?   A good night’s sleep can lead to less snacking the next day as it keeps hunger at bay.   A professor of nutrition at Columbia University, Marie-Pierre St-Onge, says, “If you eat better, you sleep better and be more refreshed.   And that helps you make better decision for your diet.”      Some tips to ea...
Read more