Nutrition facts panels are a shopper’s go-to guide, and today’s consumers are more discerning than ever.
With so many options lining grocery store shelves, these labels help shoppers quickly compare products and make smarter choices. Whether cleaning up ingredients fed to the family or developing products to accommodate dietary restrictions and preferences, nutritional facts offer consumers insight into what they eat.
These little labels serve an even bigger purpose: they have the power to shape and decode food options while allowing brands to build trust and nutritional transparency with every bite.
But here’s an important question to ask: as much as we might rely on what these labels share, are they really telling the whole story?
Let’s explore how these unassuming labels shape how we shop, eat, and trust the brands we bring to our tables (and why they’re an essential part of choosing what we eat).
Do Nutrition Facts Panels Matter? Yes, and Here’s Why
Think of nutrition facts panels as more than lists of numbers; they are tools for education and empowerment. A peek into all of the components that make up what we eat.
With clear, accurate, and accessible labels, consumers can make empowered choices about what they eat. As health concerns like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease continue to rise, transparency in food labeling is becoming increasingly important.
But it’s not just about what goes into making the product. Clear nutritional labels educate consumers and build trust and loyalty, giving brands a competitive edge by aligning with modern health trends.
Where Most Nutritional Labels Fall Short
Despite their importance, many nutritional labels don’t always address consumer needs. Common issues include:
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Overly complex information: Dense data and scientific jargon can confuse rather than inform.
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Small, hard-to-read text: Tiny fonts and cluttered layouts make it challenging to assess nutritional content quickly.
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Misleading serving sizes: Unrealistically small servings (when was the last time you had a single serving of cereal?) can disguise high calorie, sugar, or fat content.
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There is no distinction between added and natural sugars: This language makes it more difficult for consumers to gauge a product's healthfulness, especially when trying to eliminate unnecessary additives.
These shortcomings highlight the need for a fresh approach to nutritional labeling.
The Basic Necessities of a Nutrition Facts Label
At a minimum, a nutritional facts panel should include:
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Caloric content and macronutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrates).
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Key micronutrients like vitamins and minerals.
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Information on added sugars, sodium, and cholesterol.
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Percent daily values (%DV) to provide context for nutrient amounts.
Beyond these essentials, there’s plenty of room for innovation to create more engaging and helpful labels.
How to Improve Nutritional Facts Panel: 10 Ways to Create More Useful Nutrition Labels
Growing awareness about the impact of diet on long-term health makes developing easy-to-read nutritional labels more significant.
Let’s face it: transparent labels empower individuals to understand what’s truly in their food, navigate (often misleading) marketing claims, and prioritize their health goals, whether it’s reducing sugar intake, managing allergies, or supporting sustainable food choices.
We can bridge the gap between awareness and action by rethinking and enhancing these labels, helping everyone make smarter, healthier decisions effortlessly.
Here are a few ways to create a more useful nutritional label:
Optimize Layout and Design for Readability
Readability is everything. Use larger fonts for key information, bold headers to draw attention, and plenty of white space to reduce visual clutter. Color coding for nutrients, such as green for low-sugar items, can enhance scanability and readability.
Simplify Complex Nutritional Information
Don’t confuse consumers with technical or scientific words. Instead, use clear, plain language. Group related nutrients (e.g., fats and cholesterol) to make the label more intuitive and easier to navigate.
Be Realistic About Serving Sizes
Serving sizes should reflect actual consumption habits.
Consider a bag of potato chips. If most people consume half a bag in one sitting, the serving size should reflect that portion rather than an unrealistic handful, ensuring the nutritional information aligns with real-world eating habits.
Unrealistic portions can mislead consumers about a product’s calorie, sugar, and fat content. Confirm your serving sizes align with updated regulatory standards and match consumer expectations.
Incorporate Visual Aids
Visual aids like pie charts or bar graphs can simplify complex data. For example, a macronutrient pie chart can quickly show the balance of protein, fat, and carbs. Icons for key features like “low sugar” or “high protein” help consumers scan labels at a glance.
Separate Added and Natural Sugars
Added sugars are a major contributor to chronic diseases, so distinguishing them from natural sugars empowers consumers to make better choices.
Let’s compare regular ketchup to no-sugar-added ketchup. The regular version often contains added sugars like high-fructose corn syrup, while the no-sugar-added option relies on the natural sweetness of tomatoes and features a simpler, more wholesome ingredient list.
A separate line on the label for added sugars helps consumers make better decisions. Providing easy-to-read labeling enhances the product’s health appeal and transparency.
Add Context to Nutritional Values
Numbers alone don’t always tell the whole story.
Adding context (such as how a product fits into a daily diet) makes the information more relatable. For example, “This product contains as much calcium as a glass of milk” can help consumers understand the value of what they’re eating.
Address Specific Dietary Preferences
Calling out dietary accommodations such as 'gluten-free' or 'vegan' allows brands to meet specific consumer needs and stand out as inclusive, trustworthy options.
Note Potential Interactions With Ingredients
Certain ingredients may interact with medications or cause sensitivities.
For instance, foods with high vitamin K content, such as leafy greens, can interfere with the effectiveness of blood-thinner medications by counteracting their intended effects.
Emphasizing this information on nutritional labels helps consumers make better health choices, particularly those managing chronic conditions or taking prescription medications. By offering such context, labels become more practical and credible as a trusted source of health-related guidance.
Disclose Any Caffeine Content
Caffeine affects everyone differently, so transparency about its content is necessary.
Simply listing the caffeine content may not be meaningful to the average consumer without additional context, such as how caffeine levels in cold brew compare to other beverages or how it might impact energy levels and sleep.
Whether it’s in energy drinks, coffee, or tea-based products, list the caffeine content and provide comparisons (e.g., “This drink contains as much caffeine as a cup of coffee”).
Communicate Brand Values Through Nutritional Facts
Nutritional facts panels can reflect a brand’s ethos. Highlighting sustainable practices, ethical sourcing, or reduced sugar initiatives can connect with values-driven consumers. For instance, innovative sweeteners like Oobli’s sweet proteins are committed to health and sustainability.
Food Labels Examples That Get it Right
Looking for inspiration? Here are some brands that excel in nutritional labeling:
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Annie’s Homegrown: Clear, colorful labels with easy-to-read fonts and icons for dietary preferences.
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KIND Snacks: Transparent labels highlight ingredients consumers recognize, emphasizing simplicity and a commitment to "kindness" in food choices.
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RXBAR: Minimalistic designs that proudly display straightforward ingredient lists, making it easy to know exactly what you're eating.
These examples highlight how thoughtful design and transparency can elevate a product’s appeal.
Transforming Nutrition Facts Label for a Healthier Future
Improving nutritional facts panels benefits everyone.
Consumers gain the information they need to make healthier choices, while brands build trust, foster loyalty, and stand out in a competitive market. Small changes like optimizing readability or using innovative sweeteners like Oobli sweet proteins (the first protein-based sweetener) can lead to big results.
By enhancing nutritional facts panels, brands don’t just sell products–they communicate values, build consumer trust, and lead innovation in the food industry.
And there has been progress. There's bigger, bolder labeling requirements coming for added sugar and more soon.
Ready to elevate your labels and products further? Oobli sweet proteins offer a unique way to reduce sugar without compromising flavor or quality. Just try our chocolates and taste the sweetness for yourself!
