Proposed label would indicate added sugar content

“The FDA is also proposing to change the current footnote on the Nutrition Facts label to help consumers understand the percent daily value concept”.

“For the past decade, consumers have been advised to reduce their intake of added sugars, and the proposed percent daily value for added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label is intended to help consumers follow that advice”. Since then, a government advisory committee recommended that that people get no more of 10 percent of calories daily from added sugars.

Although the labels included percent daily values of other nutrients, it did not include the added sugars.

Sugars are included in the products that we consume on a daily basis, such as juice, sports drinks, soft drinks, and even spaghetti sauce.

The FDA made the decision after U.S. advisers helping shape the nation’s dietary guidelines recommended Americans eat less added sugar. A high sugar meal raises the blood glucose level, which triggers the outpouring of insulin.

The FDA’s proposal would be based on that number.

The proposed rule is a supplement to the March 3, 2014 proposed rule on updating the Nutrition Facts label, under which the FDA proposed that food companies include added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label.

So if a food label says something has 50 grams of added sugars, the percent daily value for added sugars would be listed as 100 percent.

In response to the move, the sugar industry’s trade group said the proposal lacks “adequate scientific evidence”. The advisers submitted a report in February that said evidence shows diets high in red meat and added sugar were “detrimental”.

Concerns about the health impact of sugar in diets warranted the new proposals, Mayne said.

In addition, the FDA is also releasing results of its consumer studies on the declaration of added sugars and the footnote and on the label format. “We’ll look forward to hearing additional perspective in the upcoming comment period”.

Labels already require listing the percentage of a daily recommended limit for total fat, saturated fat, sodium, cholesterol, total carbohydrate, calcium, fiber and iron, she noted. “2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice”, as stated in the official announcement from the agency.

The FDA proposal on added sugar content is still open for public comment for 75 days and is still subject for revisions before it is formally implemented, Christian Today has learned.