Michelle Obama announced some major FDA changes to nutrition labels yesterday, including a new requirement that lists added sugars. It's the first time in more than 20 years that there have been revisions to the labels, and the changes—which should all be in place by July 26, 2019—are pretty significant.
__ Serving sizes have been updated based on how much people actually eat__—and it looks like we're eating more than we used to, at least of the not-great stuff. A pint of ice cream has three servings now instead of four, and a 12-ounce bottle of soda is listed as one serving—as is a 20 ounce bottle, because the FDA found that people typically consume either size in one sitting. Conversely, yogurt's serving size is going from eight ounces to six. Obviously this is great for a reality check, but the fact that determining serving sizes is, by law, done by how much people are actually eating needs to be emphasized—otherwise it seems like there's a good chance that people will continue to see serving sizes as guidelines for what they should be eating. And as much as we love a third of a pint of ice cream, that's probably not the case.
Larger, bolder, and bigger type for things like serving size, calories, and servings per container. This helps people spot important info more quickly.
Added sugars will be included under "Total Sugars." Right now, according to the FDA, Americans get about 13 percent of their total calories from added sugars, though usually anything about 10 percent can be hard to work within a healthy diet. For those trying to lose weight (or just improve general health), cutting calories from added sugars is a good step to take.
Hello, vitamin D and potassium; goodbye, vitamins A and C. The FDA determines what nutrients go on the label based on food consumption surveys. In the early '90s, Americans didn't get enough A and C, but now that we do, including these vitamins will be voluntary. Now, it turns out that we're short on vitamin D, which helps bone health, and potassium, which helps to lower blood pressure, so you'll start seeing those on each and every label. Additionally, nutrients will be listed by the actual amount found in each serving, rather than just the percentage.
A new footnote. Maybe not the most exciting bit, but it explains a little better what the Daily Value is.
Huge changes, huge deal. Get psyched.
For a little inspiration, here's makeup artist Kayleen McAdams on turning your hobby into a career.