How to Improve Food Labels
- 1). Include the actual serving size at the top of the food label. Many times, a serving size will be smaller than what's assumed consumers. For instance, people often eat candy bars assuming that the nutritional information on the label is for the whole candy bar, when in fact it's just for half. Serving sizes shouldn't require consumers to do math.
- 2). Mark products as "zero trans-fat" only if they really do contain no trans-fat. Currently, if a serving size has less than half a gram of trans fat, the product is able to claim "zero trans-fat." If consumers don't do the math for a package's serving size, they can be ingesting more than one gram of trans fat.
- 3). Remove qualified health claims from packaging. The FDA allows companies to print health claims on their packaging that have been supported by sound scientific findings, but limited research is often being used to substantiate these claims. This creates a false sense of health for consumers and makes healthy shopping more confusing.
- 4). List caffeine content on food labels. If a product contains caffeine, it should clearly list the amount it contains. Consumers may be surprised to find caffeine in items such as snack cakes, since they often believe it's an ingredient used only in beverages. It's especially important to note the amount of caffeine in energy drinks, which are typically loaded with it.
- 5). Require the labeling of GMO (genetically modified food) ingredients. GMO ingredients have been linked to allergic and toxic reactions in lab animals, but their effects on humans have not been studied. Consumers should have the option of knowing whether these ingredients have been used in any food they consider buying.
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