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New Year, New Food Label

12/19/2019

Big changes are coming to food labels starting January 2020. We’ve got tips to help break it all down.

REALITY CHECK FOR PORTIONS

Serving sizes will be more comparable to what people are actually eating, so you can better assess your intake.

FORGET "CALORIES FROM FAT"

Fat is necessary and certain types offer benefits, so there’s no reason to focus on calories from fat (thus, it’s no longer on labels). Check the saturated fat: limiting it can help reduce heart disease risk.
Saturated fat goal: less than 20 grams per day

ADDED VERSUS NATURAL SUGAR

Sugar naturally occurs in fruit and yogurt: most people don’t need to worry about this. However, limiting added sugars (like cane sugar and corn syrup) may reduce the risk of chronic diseases, like heart disease. The new label indicates how much sugar is added per serving.
Added sugar goal: less than 50 grams per day (about 12 teaspoons)

(A 12-ounce can of soda has about 40 grams of added sugar.)

Label Reading Tip: check the Percent Daily Value (DV) – foods with more than 20% DV are considered high in that nutrient.

REFERENCES
2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 8th Edition. 2015..
Briggs MA, Petersen KS, Kris-Etherton PM. Saturated Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease: Replacements for Saturated Fat to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk. Healthcare (Basel). 2017;5(2):29.
Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label. FDA. 2019.
Health Facts: Know Your Fats. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Toolkit for Health Professionals. 2008.
Mayne, S. Statement on New Guidance for the Declaration of Added Sugars on Food Labels for Single-Ingredient Sugars and Syrups and Certain Cranberry Products. FDA. 2019.

By Jennie Dockser, MGH Dietetic Intern

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Have a Happy, Healthy Holiday

12/3/2019

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During the holidays, we are often exposed to situations that can influence how much we eat. Instead of fearing weight gain, focus on strategies that allow for the enjoyment of festive foods.

Tips to try this season:

Eat mindfully – when eating a holiday sweet, portion it on a plate and sit down to enjoy it.
Don’t skip meals – this will only leave you hungry and more likely to overeat at your next meal.
Ditch the diet mentality – many popular low carbohydrate diets involve cutting out entire food groups, which can skimp on essential vitamins, such as B vitamins. This can lead to fatigue, making it harder to enjoy this lively time of year.

Make new traditions with festive, supportive foods

Try this sweet potato pancake recipe – it is an excellent source of vitamin A, which supports immune function to help keep you healthy during the holidays.

REFERENCES:
Díaz-Zavala RG, Castro-Cantú MF, Valencia ME, Álvarez-Hernández G, Haby MM, Esparza
Romero J. Effect of the Holiday Season on Weight Gain: A Narrative Review. J Obes.2017; 2085136.
Huang Z, Liu Y, Qi G, Brand D, Zheng SG. Role of Vitamin A in the Immune System. J Clin Med. 2018;7(9): 258.
Niacin Facts Sheet for Health Professionals. National Institutes of Health. Last Updated July 2019. Accessed October 2019.

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New Year, New Food Label

Have a Happy, Healthy Holiday

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