Grocery shopping can be overwhelming, especially for those trying to make healthier food choices. With so many products, marketing claims, and confusing ingredients, it’s often difficult to know what’s actually good for your health. However, grocery store aisles could become a powerful tool in the fight against preventable diet-related diseases, provided that nutrition information is clear, accessible, and easy to understand.
Other countries have already adopted straightforward nutrition labels on the front of food packaging to highlight foods high in sugar, saturated fat, or salt—three nutrients that most people consume in excess. These labels have been successful in helping consumers make healthier choices.
In response to increasing public demand for clearer food information, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a new system that would place easy-to-read labels on most packaged foods. These labels would target three key nutrients to limit: saturated fat, sodium (salt), and added sugars. Each nutrient would be rated as high, medium, or low, with the percentage of the recommended daily amount included. The labels would be placed on the front of packages in bold, clear text, allowing shoppers to easily compare products at a glance.
While similar labels have proven effective in other countries, some food companies have opposed the introduction of such labels in the U.S. These companies argue that the labels could hurt the sales of less healthy foods. However, advocates, including Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, argue that these companies should recognize that their customers want to make healthier choices. Clear labels would enable consumers to take control of their food choices, ultimately improving their health.
“Eating healthy should be less complicated,” says Brown. “Consumers should be able to easily compare the nutritional value of different foods while shopping, giving them more control over their health.”
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