Have Your Say on Food Labels

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food labels health blance tara antleHey Canada… Health Canada needs YOUR help!! Having trouble reading/understanding food labels? Tired of all the confusion? What would you suggest to make food labels easier to understand? Well, now’s your chance to have your opinion heard!
Health Canada is in the process of making a proposal for changes to our food labels, and they would LOVE to hear your thoughts about the matter!! Recently, I had the chance to sit at a round table discussion with Minister Eve Adams about the proposed changes to our food labels in Canada.
Like anything, there are pro’s and con’s to any change. As for general benefit’s, they are considering standardizing, to a certain degree, portion size to make it easier to compare products; replacing vitamins A and C with Vitamin D and Potassium; adding a foot note explaining how to use the % DV (daily value); making ingredients list more user friendly by grouping similar ingredients together; making ingredient lists consistent with font size and color; and placing more emphasis on the amount of sugar in products on the food label.
As a concern, the amount of sugar that’s being referenced to form a % daily value (DV) is 100 grams, which is about 25 teaspoons per day!! Way to high!! Right now in Canada, that is how much sugar the average person consumes per day. We know that we have an increased incidence of obesity (especially in children), diabetes and cardiovascular disease in our country…sugar is a huge piece of the puzzle, contributing to our health concerns. If we keep doing what we’re doing, it’s only going to continue to get worse over time. Typically, what’s recommended is to not consume over 25 grams of sugar per day (about 6 teaspoons). This, along with other lifestyle changes can help make Canadians healthier! Let’s turn it around!
Your opinion counts!! Take a few minutes to complete Health Canada’s survey! Health Canada is listening…voice your opinion and help Canada get healthier!!
SURVEYS HAVE TO BE COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 11, 2014
CLICK HERE for the survey.
Have a Happy & Healthy Day!
Tara
Tara K. Antle, BSc.AHN, RHN, RNCP
Nutritionist in Private Practice
Healthy Balance
47 Leslie Street (Heritage Health Care) 2nd floor
St. John’s, NL
A1E 2V7
(709) 722-1157