Continued from our Retreat & Renew Daily Tip.
A big step forward, that’s good but
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Here are 4 areas where special care should be taken by you and me even if the new recommendations on Nutrition Facts Labels on food go through as proposed.
1. Added sugars. This very important and positive addition to the nutrition facts label separates out naturally occurring sugars in the food versus caloric sugars that have been added such as cane sugar, honey, agave or corn syrup.
That’s good, but:
As an example, a half cup of 100% pomegranate juice has 19 grams of naturally occurring sugar per serving (a whole orange has 15 grams), while a diet soda has 0 grams of sugar and is instead sweetened by artificial sweeteners. On a nutrition facts panel, BOTH the 100% juice, the orange (if it had a label) and the soda would show zero grams of added sugars. So are fruit and diet soda an equally good choice? Should you save the calories of an orange and drink a diet soda instead? This is where the ‘quality’ and nutrition is not exactly captured in the added sugars. It’s a very important addition, but it still doesn’t tell the whole story. When asking yourself which has more nutrition, the answer is an obvious one, though clearly not captured in simply reporting added sugars. The quality of our foods is equally, and sometimes more, important than a single nutrient captured on a label.
And many people are just not that familiar with how much a certain number of grams of sugar equals in terms of familiar measurements like teaspoons. The label would benefit from listing teaspoons in addition to grams. (4 grams of sugar is equal to 1 teaspoon.)
2. Servings sizes reflecting the portions usually eaten. This is a big plus. How often have you been baffled (or unnerved) at a food company that lists a single muffin as 2 servings? Who really eats half? Or 1/2 cup of ice cream as a serving? Have you ever measured that out and compared it to how much most people are served (or serve themselves)?
That’s good, but:
The upside is that information on the label will be a bit more in line with portions that are commonly consumed. The potential downside for some is what may be perceived as the ‘right’ amount to consume or that this is what one is expected to eat. It’s subtle psychology at work here, but don’t be duped if you’re watching your calories. Look at the calories in the amount listed as a serving and determine what the right portion is for you before digging in.
3. Fats will get some updates, but are they enough? The good news is that “Calories from Fat” will be removed, since science has repeatedly shown that the type of fat, not just the amount makes a bigger difference in our overall diets and health. Plus, some nutritious foods with heart-healthy fats like nuts are comprised of a high percent of fat, so the majority of their calories actually comes from fat. But what percent of the total day (or total calories) do those nuts make up? The amount of calories from fat in a single serving of nuts added in our day becomes less relevant and is out of context with the total diet. So this change is good.
However, trans fats will continue to be required on the label. But why?
That’s good, but:
Added trans fats (hydrogenated oils) have been shown repeatedly in studies to increase heart disease risk, heart attacks and inflammation. Added trans fats are unnecessary in the diet and the FDA recently called for a complete ban on their use in foods. Lose the trans and there’s no need to label it. You save a line of precious space on the Nutrition Facts label. There just shouldn’t be any added trans in your foods.
4. The Ingredient List is an important part of the picture. The Nutrition Facts are an important part of the label, but don’t forget the ingredient list. No changes have been proposed to the ingredients list, which is fine, but it’s important to remember how important that part of the label is when doing your homework on the foods to choose for your diet. Ingredients are listed in descending order by their contribution by weight to any packaged food. So the first ingredient is the largest ingredient in the ‘recipe.’ Look for quality here. Are the ingredients whole foods? Where is sugar listed in the line-up and how many sugars are listed (a clever way the food industry can bury sugars lower in the list is by using more than one kind)? Are there artificial colors or preservatives? How long is the list? And do you ‘approve’ of this food?
The proposed changes are significantly better, but they’re still not the whole picture. Let’s use them with a proverbial ‘grain of salt’ in the context of our own personal health picture and the foods we choose to consume.
Wendy Bazilian (www.wendybazilian.com) is a doctor of public health, registered dietitian and freelance writer in San Diego. She is a nutrition consultant to the spa industry and Co-Founder of Bazilian’s Health Clinic with her husband and business partner, Dr. Jason Bazilian. Dr. Wendy is author of The SuperFoodsRx Diet (Rodale). Find her on facebook at
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