3.7: Nutrition Facts Label

Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label

On May 20, 2016, the FDA announced the new Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods to reflect new scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease. The new label will make it easier for consumers to make better-informed food choices. FDA published the final rules in the Federal Register on May 27, 2016.

Highlights of the Final Nutrition Facts Label

1. Features a Refreshed Design

   • The “iconic” look of the label remains, but there are important updates to ensure consumers have access to the information they need to make informed decisions about the foods they eat. These changes include increasing the type size for “Calories,” “servings per container,” and the “Serving size” declaration, and bolding the number of calories and the “Serving size” declaration to highlight this information.
   • Manufacturers must declare the actual amount, in addition to the percent Daily Value of vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium. They can voluntarily declare the gram amount for other vitamins and minerals.
   • The footnote is changing to better explain what percent Daily Value means. It will read: “*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.”

2. Reflects Updated Information about Nutrition Science

   • “Added sugars,” in grams and as percent Daily Value, is included on the label. Scientific data shows that it is difficult to meet nutrient needs while staying within calorie limits if you consume more than 10 percent of your total daily calories from added sugar, and this is consistent with the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
   • The list of nutrients that are required or permitted to be declared is being updated. Vitamin D and potassium will be required on the label. Calcium and iron will continue to be required. Vitamins A and C will no longer be required but can be included on a voluntary basis.
   • While continuing to require “Total Fat,” “Saturated Fat,” and “Trans Fat” on the label, “Calories from Fat” is being removed because research shows the type of fat is more important than the amount.
   • Daily values for nutrients like sodium, dietary fiber, and vitamin D are being updated based on newer scientific evidence from the Institute of Medicine and other reports such as the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report, which was used in developing the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Daily values are reference amounts of nutrients to consume or not to exceed and are used to calculate the percent Daily Value (% DV) that manufacturers include on the label. The %DV helps consumers understand the nutrition information in the context of a total daily diet.

3. Updates Serving Sizes and Labeling Requirements for Certain Package Sizes

   • By law, serving sizes must be based on the amounts of foods and beverages that people are actually eating, not what they should be eating. How much people eat and drink has changed since the previous serving size requirements were published in 1993. For example, the reference amount used to set a serving of ice cream was previously ½ cup but is changed to a cup. The reference amount used to set a serving of soda is changing from 8 ounces to 12 ounces.
   • Package size affects what people eat. So for packages that are between one and two servings, such as a 20-ounce soda or a 15-ounce can of soup, the calories and other nutrients will be required to be labeled as one serving because people typically consume it in one sitting.
   • For certain products that are larger than a single serving but that could be consumed in one sitting or multiple sittings, manufacturers will have to provide “dual column” labels to indicate the number of calories and nutrients on both a “per serving” and “per package”/“per unit” basis. Examples would be a 24-ounce bottle of soda or a pint of ice cream. With dual-column labels available, people will be able to easily understand how many calories and nutrients they are getting if they eat or drink the entire package/unit at one time.

Compliance Date

This update took effect on July 26, 2018. 

Contributors and Attributions

Public domain content

• Nutrition Facts Label Changes. Authored by: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Provided by: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Located at: http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm385663.htm. License: Public Domain: No Known Copyright

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special Highlight: Decoding Misleading Food Labels

Food labels often use marketing buzzwords to appeal to health-conscious consumers, but these terms can be misleading, creating a false sense of a product’s nutritional value. Understanding these tactics is key to making informed food choices.

• "Sugar-Free" or "No Added Sugar": These products may contain artificial sweeteners or higher amounts of fat and calories to compensate for flavor.
• "Low-Carb": Many low-carb foods replace carbohydrates with artificial additives or unhealthy fats.
• "Low-Fat" or "Fat-Free": While reduced in fat, these items often have added sugars or refined carbohydrates, which can still contribute to weight gain.
• "Made with Real Fruit": The amount of real fruit is not regulated. This can mean a product contains no whole fruit, just a fruit juice concentrate.
• "Made with Whole Grains": Products can still use refined flour with only a small percentage of whole grains added.
• "Natural": This term is not strictly regulated and does not guarantee the absence of artificial ingredients or processing.

Tips for Avoiding Misleading Claims

1. Read the Ingredients List: Look for whole, recognizable ingredients and avoid items with long lists of chemicals or additives.
2. Check the Serving Size: Nutritional claims can be misleading if based on unrealistically small servings.
3. Ignore the Claims on the Front of Packaging: These claims are based on impractical legal standards and are only there for marketing. 
4. Understand Percent Daily Values (%DV): Use these to gauge if a food is high (20% or more) or low (5% or less) in a particular nutrient.

By carefully reading labels and understanding common marketing tricks, you can navigate the grocery store with confidence and choose foods that support your health goals.