cheryl
Administrator
Staff member
Food nutrition labels are getting a big makeover in 2020—here’s what the changes mean for your health - Well and Good
Walking the aisles of your fave grocery store isn’t all that different from treasure hunting: You have to shift through a fair share of junk to find gems that are both nutritious and delicious. Most healthy eaters know that if you only pay attention to the front of the package, you’re likely to end up with fools’ gold thanks to clever marketing disguised as healthy claims. The real treasure is revealed by reading the nutrition label and ingredients list on the back of the package.
Most of us are pretty familiar at this point with what that nutrition label looks like. But in 2020, you’ll notice that it looks a bit different, thanks to a requirement from the Food and Drug Administration three years ago that is finally going into effect. As of January 1, 2020, all food and (non-alcoholic) drink manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual sales are required to have nutrition panels reflecting the new changes. (Manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales have until January 1, 2021 to comply.) This is the first time the label is being changed since 1993 (!!), and you possibly have already seen some brands update their packaging to reflect the new requirements.
There are 10 total changes between the old nutrition panels and new the new ones, including three biggies that really stand out: total calories are in a bigger font and serving size requirements have changed, added sugar is called out for the first time ever, and the daily value and nutrient requirements have been updated.
Walking the aisles of your fave grocery store isn’t all that different from treasure hunting: You have to shift through a fair share of junk to find gems that are both nutritious and delicious. Most healthy eaters know that if you only pay attention to the front of the package, you’re likely to end up with fools’ gold thanks to clever marketing disguised as healthy claims. The real treasure is revealed by reading the nutrition label and ingredients list on the back of the package.
Most of us are pretty familiar at this point with what that nutrition label looks like. But in 2020, you’ll notice that it looks a bit different, thanks to a requirement from the Food and Drug Administration three years ago that is finally going into effect. As of January 1, 2020, all food and (non-alcoholic) drink manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual sales are required to have nutrition panels reflecting the new changes. (Manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales have until January 1, 2021 to comply.) This is the first time the label is being changed since 1993 (!!), and you possibly have already seen some brands update their packaging to reflect the new requirements.
There are 10 total changes between the old nutrition panels and new the new ones, including three biggies that really stand out: total calories are in a bigger font and serving size requirements have changed, added sugar is called out for the first time ever, and the daily value and nutrient requirements have been updated.