Reading food labels

The FDA is advising people to be more aware of food labels and has written and extensive article on what to look at and why. I also wrote and article on how to decipher the important parts of understanding food labels last year.

Consumers often compare prices of food items in the grocery store to choose the best value for their money. But comparing items using the food label can help them choose the best value for their health.

The food label identifies a variety of information about a product, such as the ingredients, net weight, and nutrition facts.

“The food label is one of the most valuable tools consumers have,” says Barbara Schneeman, Ph.D., Director of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Office of Nutrition, Labeling and Dietary Supplements. “The food label gives consumers the power to compare foods quickly and easily so they can judge for themselves which products best fit their dietary needs.”

For example, someone with high blood pressure who needs to watch salt (sodium) intake may be faced with five different types of tomato soup on the shelf, says Schneeman. You can quickly and easily compare the sodium content of each product by looking at the part of the label that lists nutrition information (Nutrition Facts Label) to choose the one with the lowest sodium content.

Read the rest on the FDA site on Food Labeling

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