Do you agree with the changes that were made to the food labels? Why or why not?
The changes made to the food labels include realistic and prominent serving sizes, new vitamin and mineral amounts, information about added sugars, and a bigger and bolder calorie count (Calvo, 2019). The serving size for bagel, drinks, ice cream, and other foods have been increased to reflect what is consumed in one sitting adequately. Vitamins A and C have now been changed with Vitamin D and potassium since the U.S citizens do not get enough of them. The line about added sugar is crucial since those are the elements people to reduce to 50 grams a day or less. As far as a bigger and bolder calorie count is concerned, it is essential to note the calorie count of any food, but also consider where they are coming from (Calvo, 2019).
I agree with the changes that were made because they could help reduce the ever-increasing number of U.S citizens with type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, and other weight-linked disorders. The changes were also made to help people eat healthier. I agree with the serving size reflecting what people are likely to eat and drink than the portions they should eat. This helps in ensuring that people remain healthy. FDA (2016) states that the new Nutrition Facts label will ensure citizens to make educated decisions about the food they take.
If you were to make any other changes to food labels, what would they be?
If I were to make any changes to food labels, I would ensure that any raw food sold in stores are labeled correctly. This is due to assumptions that have been there about fresh foods containing no impurities, yet we have witnessed cases of consumers suffering various illnesses after taking the raw foods. The change will require all food stores to label the raw foods they sell so they can know what they contain. The other change that would be implemented is the ingredient list. If a food product contains allergens, for instance, the change will ensure they are listed. If a food company claims that its products are fat-less, I will come up with ways to authenticate the claims. The last thing that would be changed is the food item’s net weight, which matches that of the specific nutrients. The change would also specify the amount of grams of a nutrient one gets when he/she eats a certain amount of food.