Better, But Is it Good for You?

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has decreed that all new products that are required to carry the nutritional labels must adhere to new standards and revisions.  Just a reminder, foods that are not processed, such as raw fruits and vegetables, need not carry a nutritional label.

The question remains: what does this newest revision mean for you, the nutritionally conscious consumer?  Unless you read it, absolutely nothing.  That is why you should pay close attention to it.  Secondly, you need to comprehend the information, or at least to better understand it than before.  Become an educated and informed purveyor of foods. To help you achieve that noble goal. I have included several of the categorized items that you should be aware of – some are new, some are old.

·         Calories

The most prominent part of the label (and to make sure we read it, it appears in large and bold print) is the number of calories per serving. Be aware that calories are not the same thing as nutritional value.   For example, salmon may be high on the calorie index but is an ideal source of omega-3 and proteins; whereas several broths are low in calories but poor nutritionally, as they may be rich in sodium.

The first item on the label you should read in is the number of servings per container and the serving size that number is based on.  Second, compare different food labels, but only to a comparable item.  For example, when checking a bread loaf don’t compare it to the labels found on crackers.  Remember the rule: “Apples to apples…”

·         Percent Value

Perhaps the most critical part of the label, it appears on the right-hand side of all panels, as “% Daily Value.”  You need to aware that this figure is calculated based on a 2,000 calorie diet. 

First, you may require more or less depending on your age, body type, activity level, and gender.  Check with your health practitioners what your calorie allowance is, and then make the necessary adjustments.  You don’t have to be a math major to make these computations, but a calculator – an app on every smartphone- will help.

Secondly, be aware that not all calories are the same.  For example, you should aim lower than 100% on items such as trans-fat, or sodium and added sugars.  But this caveat does not apply to such items fiber, or minerals and vitamins.

·         Changes

The listing of servings is now based on what the average American eats or drinks, and not what they are supposed to eat or drink.  That is to say that a 20-ounce bottle of soda is now listed as one serving, as that is how it is consumed, though it is recommended that you do not drink that amount in one sitting.  But we all do.

Some of the daily values have been changed.  For example, the level of sodium has been reduced, while the prescribed intake of dietary fiber has increased.  Also, added sugars (as opposed to those found naturally in fruits or dairy products) are now required to appear as a subcategory of “Total Sugars.”

Have any thoughts on the issue? Share them with us at www.MatureAging.com, and we may post them (only after getting your permission) in a future edition.

Till next time,

Josh