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A first look at the FDA’s new nutrition label — and 10 reasons it’s different from the old one

A first look at the FDA’s new nutrition label — and 10 reasons it’s different from the old one

The Washington Post

Ariana Eunjung Cha

The new label still retains the minimalist black-and-white, two-column look that designers have praised over the years, and it highlights many of the same categories, such as cholesterol and sodium. But this is where it might get confusing: Even though it doesn’t look all that different, some categories are now emphasized more than others, and the way some numbers are calculated has changed.

These are critical updates that highlight the breakthroughs in nutrition science and upheavals in our country’s disease burden over the years. Many of the changes represent losses for the food industry, which fought hard against updates because they essentially put some of the blame for our poor health on added sugars, eating overly large quantities of servings and consuming too many calories.

“The intention is not to tell consumers what to eat, but rather to make sure they have the tools and accurate information they need to choose foods that are right for themselves and their families,” Susan Mayne, director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said in a conference call with reporters.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/05/20/heres-a-first-look-at-the-fdas-new-nutrition-label-and-10-reasons-why-its-different-from-the-old/