(NAPSI)—If you're like 90 percent of shoppers, you consult the
Nutrition Facts panel on food packages before you buy. To make it easier to
make informed food choices, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
developed a new Nutrition Facts label. Here are the seven major new features:
1. Increased print size for
"Calories."
Calorie counts will be easier to see.
2. Inclusion of "Added
Sugars."
The FDA currently defines added
sugars as "sugars that are either added during the processing of
foods, or are packaged as such, and include sugars (free, mono- and
disaccharides), sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated
fruit or vegetable juices that are in excess of what would be expected from
the same volume of 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice of the same
type." Sugar alcohols, or polyols, provide sweetness but aren't counted
as "added sugars" because they're not sugar. These low-digestible
carbohydrates can replace sugar as a lower-calorie alternative. Common
polyols include erythritol, maltitol, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, lactitol,
isomalt and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates.
3. Changing "Sugars" to
"Total Sugars."
Sugar can be present in healthy foods. This change can help consumers
understand the amount of sugar the product contains from any source.
4. Removal of "Calories from
Total Fat."
Research shows the type of fat
(for example, polyunsaturated) is more important than the total calories from
fat. Labels still include "Total Fat," "Saturated Fat"
and "Trans Fat."
5. Increased print size for
"Serving Size" and "Servings per Package/Container."
Portion control remains a problem for many. Increased visibility of
recommended serving sizes can help people make better, more accurate
decisions.
6. The amounts of vitamin D and
potassium are now required, instead of vitamins A and C.
Based on research from the Institute of Medicine, the new labels will
include this information to increase visibility of vitamin D and potassium
requirements. Though voluntary, similar information for vitamins A and C may
still be included.
7. Revision of "Percent Daily
Value" Footnote.
The new language will specifically state: "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." Experts at
the Calorie Control Council, a nonprofit association that seeks to provide
objective, science-based communications about low-calorie foods and
beverages, suggest that this revision may help clarify the meaning of
"Daily Value".
“Sugar alcohols, or polyols, taste sweet but
aren’t sugar. They’re low-digestible carbohydrates that can
replace sugar as a lower-calorie alternative in many foods, say the experts
at the Calorie Control Council. http://bit.ly/2CrAQoc”
On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)