Nutrition labels changed for the first time during the last 20 years
Revolution in nutritionology
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that changes to Nutrition Facts labels have been finalized. Large manufacturers must update their labels till July 2018. Here is the list of proposed changes
Vitamin A and C no longer required
The point of this change is that deficiencies in vitamins A and C have become very rare during the last 20 years. That’s why specifying the amounts of those vitamins is now optional. Manufacturers can still include the information at their own will.
Vitamin D and Potassium made required
Vitamin D and Potassium deficiencies are becoming more frequent among populations. Vitamin D is crucial for bone health and Potassium is an essential mineral that has a role in all physiological processes of the body.
Added sugars made mandatory
Both Daily value and absolute value in grams should be specified for added sugars. Dietary Guidelines suggest to consume less than 10 percent of your total daily calories from added sugars.
Actual amounts for Calcium, Potassium, Iron and Vitamin D made required
Specifying actual amounts (in addition to the Daily Value) for Calcium, Potassium, Iron, and Vitamin D are required. Specifying absolute amounts for other minerals and vitamins are still permitted by the format, but are optional.
Serving sizes updated
By the definition, the serving size should be based on the average amounts that people consume a specific food. It appears that during last 20 years some of those quantities changed. For instance people are eating relatively more Ice Cream. If before the usual serving size was considered as one third of a cup, now it changed to two thirds.
Visual and text adjustments
Calories section is to be significantly bigger now. Serving Size has been made larger and bolder. The text explaining the meaning of Daily value changed to the following "*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice."