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Food Labels - 8 Ways They Could be Better
Posted on Jan 21st 2009 3:00PM by Maggie VinkFiled Under: Nutrition & Supplements
Are you a label reader? I know that I am, and -- until you get savvy at it -- food labels can be a bit confusing. U.S. News and World Report has a list of 8 fixes nutritionists would like to see on food labels: - Realistic serving sizes. Serving sizes are often misleading. For example, have you ever treated yourself to a Pop-Tart? They're wrapped in packages with two pastries, yet a serving size is only one.
- Clearer guidelines on the daily value. Are the percentages based on the most you should get of a nutrient or the least? For example, saturated fat is a ceiling -- the daily value represents the most you should get. With vitamins and minerals, on the other hand, the daily value is a floor -- or the minimum amount you should get.
- List a daily value for sugar. There is no listed maximum amount for sugar. As with other unhealthful items, like saturated fat, it would be helpful if a maximum daily amount of sugar was listed.
- Clarify whole grain information. It can be difficult to determine whether a food is truly whole grain. Percentages of whole grain and/or the amount in grams would help clarify the matter.
- Include healthy pairings. Serving suggestions could include nutritious items that would go well with the food.
- Origin. Many produce items are now listed with the place of origin. While this might be difficult with other products that have ingredients from several locations, health scares and environmental reasons make a valid case for the necessity of food origin labeling.
- Simplicity. Color-coding, scores, and other simple labels would be helpful for consumers.
