Spring into Healthy Choices with the Nutrition Facts Label

As the seasons change and flowers begin to bloom, now is the time to make mindful choices for lifelong health. Adopting a healthy lifestyle, including regular physical activity and good nutrition, not only helps reduce the risk of developing certain diseases, but also can assist in better managing pre-existing conditions and improving your overall wellbeing.

Spring is a good time to explore local farmers markets or just swing by your nearest grocery store.  All fruits and vegetables are a great choice, but selecting healthy proteins, whole grains and packaged products to add to your fruits and vegetables can be difficult. The following Nutrition Facts Label information can help you make smart choices as part of a healthy lifestyle.

The Nutrition Facts Label is a requirement by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that serves as an action-oriented tool to provide consumers detailed information about a food’s nutrient content. This allows you to learn, compare, and make better, informed food choices that can positively affect your health. The 2016 redesign and updates reflect the latest nutrition science and research, with consumer feedback. The new label highlights are shown on the image to your right (Link), in addition to key components listed below:

• Serving size now reflects the amount of food or drink that is typically consumed at one time, not a recommendation on how much to eat.
• Updates to Daily Value for nutrients, along with a new footnote based on science and for clear explanation. The % Daily Value can be used to help determine if one serving is high or low in a nutrient. As a general guide:
  • Low is 5% or less of a nutrient per serving
  • High is 20% or more of a nutrient per serving
• Calories from fat have been removed
• Vitamins A and C are not required to be on the label
• Some products may have a label with dual columns— one column for a single serving and the second for the entire package

When choosing foods and beverages, consider the following tips to support a healthy eating pattern whether you are shopping in store, online, or reading up on the foods you have in your own pantry.

• Focus on a variety of nutrient-rich foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean protein foods, and heart-healthy fats
• Use the label to support you and your family’s individualized dietary needs
• More often compare and choose foods higher in dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium, and lower in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars

You can now step into spring with confidence in your food choices that will add up over time!

 

Learn more about the Nutrition Facts Label on the FDA website. Additional supportive resources include MyPlate and a local Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

 

 

Resources:

https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/changes-nutrition-facts-label#dates https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans-2020-2025.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/strategies-guidelines/nutrition-facts-label.html

https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/nutrition-facts-and-food-labels/the-basics-of-the-nutrition-facts-label

https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/fn/pdf/njseasonalitychart.pdf