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Posted on Mar 10th 2010 3:00PM by Amber GreviskesFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Do you know how many calories are in your soup, salad or sandwich? If you are a fan of Panera, you will definitely know starting in April, whether you want to or not. The popular bakery will become the first national chain to voluntarily post calorie information on all company-owned Panera Bread and Saint Louis Bread Co. menu boards.
"We are pleased to be the first national concept to provide this level of transparency to customers," Scott Davis, Panera's chief concept officer, said in a press release. "It comes from our commitment to providing nutrition information and wholesome foods our customers can trust."
Though the move is quite bold, it is not the first of its kind. In July 2008, in an effort to combat the obesity epidemic, New York became the first U.S. city to require fast food restaurants with at least 15 stores to prominently post calorie counts on menu boards. Other major cities have followed, and the results have been promising.
"There is no downside to learning about what is in your food," said Bonnie Taub-Dix, dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "Labels can be very overwhelming, but when the mandatory nutrition labeling went into effect, it was a wake-up call for people who didn't realize that their light, quick breakfast muffin was 600 calories. Any company that is willing to be forthcoming with food labeling is to be commended. They're going to be honest about what is in your food."
According to a January study in the American Journal of Public Health, restaurant menus that included calorie information encourage customers to make better choices when dining out.
As the menus have been introduced throughout the country, customers have had a favorable response, choosing options that allow them more freedom to customize their meals.
But although the evidence is strong, there is still some debate whether menu labeling works if it isn't accompanied by a broader public awareness campaign. One study found that in low-income neighborhoods, menu labeling didn't seem to encourage people to make healthier choices.
Now that companies are labeling their food, only one question remains: Are misleading nutrition labels actually making you fat?
Let us know what you think about Panera's move! Would you like to see more calorie information on all menus, or do you find that ignorance is bliss when it comes to dining at chain restaurants?
