Nutrition Labeling : 21 Articles

Nutrition labels on food packages can help you compare brands, assess the nutrient content of foods, and manage a special diet. Search this section for articles to help you decipher label information that's relevant to your diet.

Reading food labels help shoppers stay thin

Shoppers, particularly women, who take the time to read food labels are thinner than those who don't. These findings are from a recently released study authored by Steven T. Yen, a…

Government regulation of sodium needed, say Canadian physicians

It's a well-known fact that excessive sodium consumption is linked to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Now a new study published in the Canadian Medical Association…

Check labels for phosphorus additives in fresh meat

Food companies often "enhance" fresh meat and poultry products with the minerals phosphorus and potassium, say food researchers from New Jersey. This could be a big problem for…

Ontario's doctors call for calorie counts on menus

In a move to fight obesity, Ontario's doctors are calling for calorie counts to be shown on chain restaurant and school cafeteria menus and menu boards throughout the province. The Ontario…

Canada reveals tougher rules for organic food products

The federal government has unveiled new mandatory standards for organic foods along with enforcement tools so inspectors can keep falsely-labeled products off the shelves. The new rules for…

PepsiCo to put caffeine count on its labels

The Canadian division of PepsiCo announced yesterday it will voluntarily redesign the packaging on its beverages - including Pepsi, Pepsi Max and Lipton Iced Tea - to include the caffeine…

New rules: Canada's food labels must state allergens

Canadians with food allergies will be made more aware of possible allergens - such as peanuts, milk, eggs, wheat and shellfish - under Health Canada's new labelling rules unveiled…

And the “Salt Lick” award goes to…

A & W's "Chubby Junior" Meal has won Canada's first national "Salt Lick" award. This dubious title was created by the Canadian Stroke Network, the Canadian…

Health Check logo criteria being revised

Health Check has revised and lowered their sodium criteria for foods in the Mixed Dishes/Entrees category. Additional changes have been made to the fat, trans fat, sugar, sodium and fibre…

New York restaurants must post calories, Canada lags behind

The New York City Board of Health has voted to have all chain restaurants post calorie information on their menus. Beginning March 31, all menu items must have their calorie counts displayed…

Tips for reducing your sodium intake

The daily upper limit of sodium for adults is 2300 milligrams of sodium. People who have high blood pressure should limit their daily intake to 1500 milligrams. When watching your sodium…

Test your fast food IQ

Health professionals in the nutrition industry have been applauding changes to labelling requirements – from grocery items to fast food menus. But not all restaurants are on board with…

Food labels prove confusing for consumers

In the largest study of its kind, researchers have found that reading and math skills of a significant number of people may not be sufficient to extract the needed information from food…

What numbers on produce stickers mean

Did you know? Those 4 or 5 digit numbers on produce stickers at the grocery store do more than just identify the food for the cashier -- they also identify genetically modified, organic…

Update food labels, experts urge U.S. government

Food and supplement labels need to be updated to reflect current nutritional guidelines and should warn, for instance, against eating too much artery-clogging trans-fat, according to U.S.…

U.S. requires food labels to list trans fat

All packaged foods sold across America will have to carry labels telling people how much artery-clogging trans-fats they contain under new U.S. government regulations issued last week.…

U.S. outlines plans for more health claims on food

U.S. regulators unveiled guidelines last week that will allow food product labels to carry government-approved claims about health benefits, even if they have not been conclusively proven. The…

FDA supports more food labeling on fats

U.S. FDA plans to expand food labeling to include such details as trans fats in an effort to counter obesity, the head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said this week. The FDA…

Canada sets new guidelines for food labels

Canadian food manufacturers must start this year to provide detailed lists of fat, calories and 13 nutrients on all prepackaged foods, in a government effort to boost health and give people…

Food labels help people reduce fat intake

People who scrutinize food labels are better able to cut down on their fat intake than those who ignore such nutritional information, according to a study of more than 800 men and women.…