Study Calls for Simplified Food and Beverage Labeling

The Institute of Medicine called for a simplified label to go on the front of food and beverage packages that would show the number of calories per serving and contain zero to three stars or checkmarks to indicate how healthy a food or beverage was.

In a study requested by Congress, the Institute asserted that the labeling on food items should be as easy to read as the Energy Star label on appliances. To simplify the identification of a food or beverage item as healthy, the stars or checks would be based on only three types of nutrients: added sugars, sodium and saturated or trans fats. The Institute chose those nutrients because they are most closely associated with major illnesses.

To learn more about the new labeling recommendations, read this New York Times article.