Understanding food labels can add up to 10 years to your lifespan by helping you avoid hidden health hazards in everyday foods.

At a Glance

  • The FDA updated Nutrition Facts labels in 2016 to improve clarity, including bolded serving sizes and calorie information
  • Food labels list ingredients by weight, with major allergens highlighted for consumer safety
  • Color-coded systems (red, amber, green) on some labels indicate high, medium, or low levels of nutrients
  • Understanding food labels is essential for managing health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes
  • Poor diet is linked to obesity, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, making label reading a critical health skill

Why Food Labels Matter More Than Ever

The pandemic brought unexpected health challenges for many Americans. Nearly half of American adults gained weight during the first year of COVID-19, with depression and anxiety emerging as strong predictors of weight gain. This trend has highlighted the critical importance of chronic disease prevention, with healthy food choices serving as the foundation. The ability to decipher food labels has become an essential skill in navigating today's complex food landscape, where marketing claims often overshadow nutritional reality.

Food labels serve as the consumer's window into what's actually in packaged products. Beyond just listing calories, these labels provide crucial information about nutrients that directly impact health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. For those managing specific health concerns, understanding how to quickly evaluate sodium, sugar, and fat content can make the difference between food choices that heal and those that harm.

Decoding the New Nutrition Facts Label

In 2016, the FDA updated the Nutrition Facts label to better reflect current scientific information and improve clarity for consumers. These changes weren't merely cosmetic—they represented a significant shift in how nutritional information is presented. The modern label features bolded serving size and calorie information, making these critical details immediately apparent. Perhaps most importantly, the updated label now distinguishes between naturally occurring sugars and added sugars, helping consumers identify hidden sweeteners.

Another significant change involved the nutrients highlighted on labels. Vitamins A and C were removed as mandatory listings, replaced by vitamin D and potassium—nutrients many Americans don't get enough of. The % Daily Value (%DV) system remains a crucial tool, helping consumers understand how much a nutrient in a serving contributes to their daily diet. As a general guide, 5% DV or less of a nutrient is considered low, while 20% DV or more is high—knowledge that helps shoppers quickly assess if a food is high in desirable nutrients like fiber or problematic ones like sodium.

Beyond the Box: Front Labels and Marketing Claims

Front-of-package (FOP) labels can heavily influence consumer purchases but may sometimes mislead if not evaluated alongside the more detailed Nutrition Facts panel. Health claims like "low fat" or "high fiber" are regulated by the FDA and suggest potential health benefits, but don't necessarily mean the food is nutritionally balanced overall. Many products proudly display phrases such as "Contains 100% Vitamin C" while containing high levels of added sugars or unhealthy fats.

Some countries have taken more direct approaches to front labeling. Chile's mandatory warning labels that clearly identify unhealthy foods have proven effective in reducing purchases of nutritionally poor products. In the UK and elsewhere, color-coded systems using red, amber, and green indicate high, medium, or low levels of concerning nutrients. Foods with mostly green labels are generally healthier choices, while those with red indicators contain high levels of nutrients that should be limited, such as saturated fat, sugar, or sodium.

Reading Ingredient Lists and Allergen Information

The ingredient list, often in smaller print beneath the Nutrition Facts, provides crucial insights that nutritional percentages alone can't convey. Ingredients appear in descending order by weight, meaning the first few ingredients make up the bulk of the product. This knowledge allows consumers to quickly identify foods high in processed ingredients, refined grains, or added sugars that might be disguised under various names like high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, or maltose.

For the millions of Americans with food allergies, the allergen information section serves as a critical safety tool. Manufacturers are required to clearly identify the presence of major allergens such as milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. This information typically appears at the end of the ingredient list with language like "contains wheat, milk, and soy." Understanding this section is not just about making healthier choices—for those with severe allergies, it can be lifesaving information that prevents dangerous reactions.

Empowering Patients Through Label Literacy

Medical professionals increasingly recognize food label understanding as a cornerstone of preventive healthcare. The American Medical Association, in collaboration with the FDA, has developed educational resources to help physicians teach patients about Nutrition Facts labels. This initiative acknowledges that poor diet is directly linked to obesity and life-threatening conditions like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes—conditions that proper nutrition can help manage or prevent.

Food label literacy also addresses health disparities. Communities affected by food swamps (areas with an abundance of fast food and junk food options) and food deserts (areas with limited access to fresh, nutritious foods) face unique challenges in maintaining healthy diets. When consumers in these communities know how to evaluate packaged foods using label information, they gain a powerful tool for making the best possible choices within their existing constraints, potentially reducing health disparities linked to nutrition.