5/20/08 — Nutrition Information has recently gone beyond the nutrition facts panel. For years, the health conscious would flip over the box to extract the information they wanted to see. Lately, the consumer does not even have to search beyond the front panel. Nutrition symbols have been popping up on cans, boxes, bags, and cans. These symbols are created by individuals companies to guide consumers towards making healthier choices. Nutrition symbols may imply that a product is lower in calories, fat, or sugar. It may also state a product meets federal requirements for a vitamin or mineral. The Food and Drug Administration is attempting to streamline nutrition labels to decrease confusion in the market. Ideally, one universal symbol will exist to rate a product based on specific criteria. This month’s issue of the ADA Times features an article breaking down nutrition symbols and some of their implications. Listed below are some of the many nutrition symbols and some information about them:  National Dairy Council – This symbol is placed on cheeses, milks, and yogurts that meet specific FDA guidelines. These foods can be considered healthy choices towards your three recommended servings of dairy a day. Visit http://nationaldairycouncil.org/
 Unilever – Unilever produces this symbol, as well as a similar “Drink Smart” symbol. The symbol lets consumers know the product meets the company’s specific criteria for trans fat, saturated fat, sodium, sugar, and added sugar.
 American Heart Association – Products boasting this symbol meet the American Heart Association's criteria for total and saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, protein, and dietary fiber. Visit americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4973. Whole Grain Council – The Whole Grain council has two different stamps. One stamp notes that a product has 8 grams of whole grain per serving or more. The 100% stamp states the product has at least 16 grams of whole grain only. Visit wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grain-stamp/. PepsiCo – The Smart Spot indicates that the product meets greater than 10 percent of the daily value of a targeted nutrient and meets limits for fats, cholesterol, sodium, and added sugars. Visit smartspot.com.
 Kellogg’s – This panel takes information from the Nutrition Facts panel and places it in clear view. Calories, total fat, sodium, and sugar are among the components listed. General Mills also has a “Nutrition Highlights” panel which provides similar information. Visit kelloggs.com/nutrition/learn-about-labels/nutrition-at-a-glance.html.
Smaller stores and companies are also creating their own logos to sport on the front of nutrition packaging for their customers. A benefit of these labels is that they help consumers identify products that con be considered “better” choices. However, the reason these items make the cut are not always clear. Not every company lists their determining criteria of healthy on their website either. Are these symbols helpful? Nutrition symbols point the consumer in the right direction of healthy choices. However, these choices may not be the best out there. It is up to the individual to take initiative to flips the package and see how that item fits into their diet. | 
