Cutting Through the Nutrition Facts Crap Table

Some people are not so happy about it.

Last May, Michelle Obama held a conference announcing the much anticipated (well, I was) new and improved Nutrition Facts Table.

Here are some of the highlights that caught my eyes.

  1. The actual amount of vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium is now listed.
  2. You will finally understand what “% Daily Value” actually means.
  3. Say Hi to “Added Sugars” (grams and % Daily Value).
  4. Goodbye, “Calorie from Fat”.
  5. Serving size better reflects the portion that is consumed by people (because who can ever stop at just 15 chips?)

However, the unveiling of this long overdue updated nutrition facts label faced harsh criticism, especially regarding the addition of “Added Sugars”.

“FDA also found that consumers deliberately chose more nutritious products (i.e., those with more of the nutrients we encourage consumption of) less often due to the mere presence of an “Added Sugars” line”, wrote Kris Sollid, Director of Nutrients Communications at the International Food Information Council and IFIC Foundation.

“[…]no analytical laboratory method exists to distinguish between added sugars and other sugars in a finished product, making it difficult for the FDA to identify or regulate the amount of “added” vs. other sugars in products. It’s not just lab methods—our bodies also don’t distinguish between naturally occurring and added sugars”, wrote Kris Sollid, RD.

My Uncensored Opinion

We should at least hand it to the FDA for trying to improve the Nutrition Facts Table, even though they neglected for 20 years. However, I feel like no matter how much we strive to polish the table, the best way to truly decipher and understand the in and out of foods is to receive a proper nutritional education.

How can this be done?

Several ways actually, such as including a mandatory or elective nutrition/cooking classes in high-school curriculum or by offering on the spot dietitian counseling in groceries.

And I’m not saying this just at the top of my head: these strategies are implemented in some countries.

What do you think about the new Nutrition Facts Table?

And more importantly…

How many of you actually read it?

To learn more about the new Nutrition Facts label, click here.