Let's review how you can use the Nutrition Facts Label to make more informed food choices. The Nutrition Facts Label offers an accurate snapshot of what is in a single food or beverage item so that you can make smart choices about what you're putting into your body.
We can often take the Nutrition Facts Label for granted, but it has not always been a requirement to list the nutrients in food items. It wasn’t until May of 1994 that the standardized Nutrition Facts Label hit our grocery store shelves.
The Nutrition Facts Label includes information on serving sizes, calories, fats, sodium, cholesterol, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients.
It's designed to be used by consumers to make healthier choices about what they eat as well as increase the safety of foods by having manufacturers and retailers provide accurate information about their products.
Since the Nutrition Facts Label hit our shelves, we have changed the way we eat and increased our understanding of how foods and nutrients impact our health. With these factors in mind, the Nutrition Facts Label received a new and bolder look in 2020.
The updated Nutrition Facts Label includes:
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Serving Sizes: The number of “servings per container” and “serving sizes” received a larger and bolder font. Some of the serving sizes were updated to reflect the amount people typically eat or drink in a sitting. For example, one serving of ice cream increased from ½ cup per serving to ⅔ cup per serving.
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Calories: Calories are listed in bigger and bolder letters to make them easier to find.
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Fat: “Calories from fat” has been removed since we know the type of fats consumed is more important than the amount.
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Carbohydrates: “Added Sugars” are now listed on the Nutrition Facts Label to encourage decreased consumption of sugars that were added during the production process such as sucrose or dextrose, added sweeteners such as honey or table sugar, or sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices.
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List of Nutrients: Vitamin D and potassium are now required to be listed since these are common nutrient deficiencies in Americans. The actual amount in milligrams as well as the percentage daily value must be listed for vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium.
Check out some of our other articles, where we break down the Nutrient Facts Label to help you understand how to read and use the label for your personal health goals.