A Reality Check: Reading into Nutrition Labels – How much Do We Understand?
By making a conscious decision to eat the right types of food or to control and limit the intake of certain foods, we are engaging in a ritual that promotes healthy living when we shop for ourselves and our families.
A trip down the grocery aisle has evolved into a social ritual whereby we tend to follow a set of procedures. It no longer merely involves putting box after box into your cart and dashing off to the cashier. It goes beyond checking prices and ingredients of packaged foods. We pay attention to nutrition labels, spending ample time scrutinizing them in our quest to achieve a healthy lifestyle.
The Nutrition Facts Panel
There was very little need for nutrition facts or information a century ago; meals were generally prepared at home, using basic ingredients that were either traded for or bought in bulk – never packaged or canned. Packaged foods appeared on shelves at the turn of the 20th century, quickly desired for their convenience. Naturally, the United States was the first country to enact into law mandatory food labeling in 1913, through the Gould Net Weight Amendment. This amendment required manufacturers to list content quantity on the exterior of food packages in terms of weight, measure or numerical content. The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was paramount in their role in enabling these progressive amendments.
Continued changes to the food industry as well as consumer buying patterns, trends and demands, spurred the need for more visible nutrition labeling. In 1938, The Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act came into effect, requiring any artificial flavoring, coloring or chemical preservative to be included on the product label – all this in the interest of the consumer, of course. As scientific discoveries increased, talks on the importance of food fortification in eliminating nutrition deficiency related diseases intensified.
The 70s saw the FDA shift their focus towards providing consumers as much information as possible, in order for them to make informed choices. In 1973, the FDA published regulations, which required manufacturers to print nutrition labels for certain foods (those with added nutrients). Manufacturers were ordered to add full lists of ingredients on food labels. Although the first labels were nothing like the ones we see today – these were in small print and rather difficult to read – they marked an important step towards letting people know about the nutritional value of the foods they were eating.
The Nutrition Label
You will find nutrition labels or facts conveniently located on most packaged foods that are manufactured in most countries, though these vary. Expect to see a panel containing the information required by regulation – visibly bold – on the packaging of the food you are about to buy.
A nutrition label contains very product-specific information. Its main purpose is to provide the information consumers need to make healthy choices about the foods they buy. Each label provides facts about the nutritional content of a food item that has a direct impact on such health concerns as weight control and high blood pressure. As a consumer, you can compare two products based on the nutrition labels to choose a healthier option.
Local nutritionist Zalikha Razali reiterates this. “Nutrition labels will help the consumer to control and limit the amount of fats, sugar, and cholesterol in their diet as the label contains the necessary information, thereby guiding the consumers in making better food choices,” explains Zalikha.
There are, generally, several parts to a nutrition label (as required by the FDA), beginning with serving sizes; moving down to calories; nutrient information – those that you need to limit such as fat, cholesterol and sodium, as well as nutrients your body needs such as vitamins and calcium; and ending with a footnote of recommended dietary information for important nutrients.
Serving size: It is always the first, and the most valuable piece of information that you will come across on the label, located right at the top. Printed in this section will be the serving size: the amount (more or less) that people typically eat at one time, and the number of servings in the package. Serving sizes typically refer to one serving and are measured in familiar units like cups or pieces, followed by the weight in metric (i.e. the number of grams). Different products have different serving sizes.
Calorie Count: This is a measure of how much energy you receive from a single serving of a certain food. The number of servings you consume will determine your calorie intake. This count helps you manage your weight. Eating too many calories a day is linked to becoming overweight and obesity. It’s recommended to cut back on the calories for those who are watching their weight. “According to the FDA, food products can contain as much as 20% more or fewer calories than what is printed on the label,” says Zalikha.
You can read more in our print magazine Asia Pacific Baker & Biscuit (Summer 2018)!