Food Label: Coping With Diabetes : Part 2

by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

(Page 2 of 2)

Get the Nutrition Facts

Considering these factors, how should people with diabetes go about using the new food label?

They can begin with the Nutrition Facts panel, usually on the side or back of the package. A column headed %Daily Values shows whether a food is high or low in many of the nutrients listed.

People with diabetes should check the %Daily Values for fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. As a rule of thumb, if the number is 5 or less, the food may be considered low in that nutrient.

The goal for most people with diabetes is to pick foods that have low %Daily Values for fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol and high %Daily Values for fiber. Other label nutrition information can help people with diabetes see if and how a food fits into their meal plan.

To see how this information appears on a food label, see Key Food Label Information for People with Diabetes (a 616K PDF file).

Serving Sizes

The serving size information gives the amount of food to which all other numbers on the Nutrition Facts panel apply.

Serving sizes now are more uniform among similar products and reflect the amounts people actually eat. For example, the reference amount for a serving of snack crackers is 30 g. Thus, the serving size for soda crackers is 10 crackers and for Goldfish Tiny Crackers, 55, because these are the amounts that come closest to 30 g.

The similarity makes it easier to compare the nutritional qualities of related foods.

People who use the Exchange Lists should be aware that the serving size on the label may not be the same as that in the Exchange Lists. For example, the label serving size for orange juice is 8 fluid ounces (240 milliliters). In the exchange lists, the serving size is 4 ounces (one-half cup) or 120 mL. So, a person who drinks one cup of orange juice has used two fruit exchanges.

Calorie and Other Information

The Nutrition Facts panel also gives total calories and calories from fat per serving of food. This is helpful for people who count calories and monitor their daily percentage of calories from fat.

Here's how to use calories from fat information: At the end of the day, add up total calories and then calories from fat eaten. Divide calories from fat by total calories. The answer gives the percentage of calories from fat eaten that day. For example, 450 calories from fat divided by 1,800 total calories = 0.25 (25 percent), an amount within the recommended level of not more than 30 percent calories from fat.

The label also gives grams of total carbohydrate, protein and fat, which can be used for carbohydrate counting.

The values listed for total carbohydrate include all carbohydrate, including dietary fiber and sugars listed below it. Not singled out is complex carbohydrates, such as starches.

The sugars include naturally present sugars, such as lactose in milk and fructose in fruits, and those added to the food, such as table sugar, corn syrup, and dextrose.

The listing of grams of protein also is helpful for those restricting their protein intake, either to reduce their risk of kidney disease or to manage the kidney disease they have developed.

Front Label Info

Elsewhere on the label, consumers may find claims about the food's nutritional benefits. Often, they appear on the front of the package, where shoppers can readily see them. These claims signal that the food contains desirable levels of certain nutrients.

Some claims, such as "low-fat," "no saturated fat," and "high-fiber," describe nutrient levels. (See A Little 'Lite' Reading, in the FDA Consumer Special Report "Focus on Food Labeling.") Some of these are particularly interesting to people with diabetes because they highlight foods containing nutrients at beneficial levels. (See "Nutrient Claims Guide.")

Other claims, called health claims, show a relationship between a nutrient or food and a disease or health condition. FDA has authorized a number of such claims; they are the only ones about which there is significant scientific agreement. (See A Food Labeling Guide for a current list of these claims.)

Two that relate to heart disease are of particular interest to people with diabetes:

A diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and grain products that contain fiber, particularly soluble fiber, and are low in saturated fat and cholesterol may help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Both claims also must state that heart disease depends on many factors.

Nutrient and health claims can be used only under certain circumstances, such as when the food contains appropriate levels of the stated nutrients. So now, when consumers see the claims, they can believe them.

The intent, though, is not just to ensure the label information is truthful, but also to enable the consumer to use it to choose healthier foods. For people with diabetes, that's especially important because of the increased risk of other chronic diseases. Pat Coyle is one person with diabetes who realizes this.

"I'm looking forward to greater health because I won't have any excuses," she says. "The information is right there." And, she adds, "I especially like the large print."

About the Author

www.fda.gov
FDA is A United States government body that oversees medical devices, including contact lenses, intraocular lenses, excimer lasers and eyedrops. In the US, these products must be approved by the FDA before they can be marketed.