Get the Facts

Amy fuller RD, LD/NDietitian Specialist

September 11, 2014

Serving Size

• Serving sizes are standardized• Provided in familiar units followed by

metric amount• Cups or pieces (gram or g)

• Pay attention to serving size & how many servings are in the package

Calories (and calories from fat)

• Calories provide a measure of how much energy you get from one serving of food

• Must be in bold print

• General Guide to Calories:• Calorie Free = <5 calories per serving• 40 Calories = Low • 100 Calories = Moderate• 400 Calories or more = High

The Nutrients: How Much?• Total Fat must be Bold & listed in grams (g)

• “Fat Free” = ½ g per serving

• Cholesterol & Sodium must be Bold & listed in milligrams (mg)

• “Low Cholesterol” = 20 mg per serving or less• “Low Sodium” = 140 mg or less per serving

• Does not have to be on the label IF it has <0.5 g per serving:• Saturated Fat• Trans Fat• Cholesterol

• “Not a significant source of_________”

The Nutrients: How Much?

• Carbohydrate must be Bold & listed in grams (g)• Dietary Fiber

• “High Fiber” = 5 g. or more/serving• Sugars

• “Sugar Free” = ½ g or less per serving• “No Added Sugar” –still contains natural sugars

• Starches - not included

• Protein must be Bold & listed in grams (g)

• Iron & Calcium required• Vitamin A & Vitamin C voluntary

Footnote

• Required to be on all labels:• “% Daily Values are based on a 2,000

calorie diet.”

• Information on full footnote may not appear on package• Will depend on size of label• Does NOT change from product to

product

Percent Daily Value• % Daily Values based on recommendations for

key nutrients • Based on a 2,000 calorie diet• Helps determine if a serving is high or low in a

nutrient• Comparisons• Trans Fat & Sugar do not have a Daily Value

established• Protein %DV is required IF a claim has been

made• “High Protein”

• General Guide to % DV• 5% DV or less = Low• 20% DV = High• “Good Source of” = at least 10% of the DV• “Reduced” = 25% of less of the nutrient

Proposed Change

• FDA proposing change• Greater understanding of nutrition science

• Added Sugars• Updated DV for sodium, fiber, Vit. D• Require Potassium, Vit. D on label

• Updated serving size requirements• Reflect how people eat and drink today

• New labeling requirements• Packaged foods typically eaten in single serving• Larger packaged items – “duel columns”

• Refreshed design• Calories & Serving size larger

• Mixture of proteins that occur naturally in wheat, rye, barley & crossbreeds of these grains (ie: oats)

• FDA allows “Gluten-Free” if it does not contain:• wheat, rye, barley or crossbreeds of these grains• an ingredient derived from these grains

OR• Foods that inherently do not have gluten (ie: bottled spring water, fruit,

vegetables & eggs)OR

• Limits the presence of gluten to less than 20 ppm

• No formal definition for the use of “natural” has been issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)• USDA has not objected to the use of “Natural” provided its truthful

and not misleading• Product can not contain added color, artificial flavors or synthetic substances

• “Natural” is not permitted in the ingredient list, with the exception of natural flavoring • Label must explain the use of the term natural (ie: no added coloring)

• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines• Meat, poultry, eggs & dairy products come from animals that are given no

growth hormones. • Plant foods are produced without using conventional pesticides, fertilizers

made with synthetic ingredient or sewage sludge, bioengineering or ionizing radiation• Government-approved certifier must inspect the farm to ensure compliance

• 3 levels of Organic• 100% Organic- made of only organic ingredients• “Organic” – ingredients in products are at least 95% organic• “Made with organic ingredients” – at least 70% of ingredients are certified

• Whole Grains use entire kernel – bran, germ & endosperm• Whole Grain Council categorizes grains

• Basic Stamp: “Whole Grain”• Mixture of grains• Contains at least 8 g of whole grains

• 100% Stamp: “100% Whole Grain”• All grain ingredients are whole grains• Contains a minimum of 16 g of whole grains

• Multigrain• Contains multiple types of grain• Whole Grains not necessarily one of them