The person that
decided a half-cup would constitute one serving of ice cream must have been
lactose-intolerant, or at the very least, they had a bad sense of humor.
In the twenty
years that have passed since the Food and Drug Administration deemed one tennis
ball as the national standard for a scoop of this dairy dessert, a lot has
changed – namely, the size of the average American waistband. More than a third
of adults in the United States are obese and the harmful health implications of
these extra pounds are widespread. Finally, the government is starting to take
notice.
Within the nascent
weeks of 2014, the FDA proposed a series of changes to food labeling that would
reflect the modern American diet and aim to help Americans reduce their caloric
intake. While many government interventions in the dietary arena are often
somewhat ridiculous and overreaching, this measure has the potential to make a
positive (though likely small) impact.
Numerous minor
alterations will be made to the Nutrition Facts label, including bolding the
font of the serving size and calorie count, but the most important change is
the addition of a new line indicating the “added sugars.” This line would
differentiate between sugars naturally existing in the food product as a result
of ingredients (such as strawberries) and artificial sweeteners.
America has a big
sweet tooth – and some even bigger cavities. As our national sugar intake has
increased over the years, so have American rates of diabetes, cancer and heart
disease. Though the correlations between what we eat and how it affects our
health are widely contested, the root of the issue lies in the fact that we
hardly know what we’re eating anymore.
When I settled in
last night with a bowl of Cookie Dough and Brownie Chunk Fudge-Swirled Vanilla
Ice Cream, I was aware that I was not going to be consuming the suggested
serving size and I was aware that the amount of sugar in a few spoonfuls
surpassed the recommended daily allowance – but I was making a decision to eat
my dessert in conscious, sinful bliss.
The downfall of
American health comes from misunderstanding healthy food options just as much,
if not more than from excessive indulgence. A simple meal, such as yogurt with
granola, seems like a good choice, but a closer inspection of the nutrition
labels may reveal that I might as well have had the ice cream for breakfast.
The proposed changes to nutrition labels will make it easier for concerned
eaters to make smart decisions in the supermarket.
In an effort to win
over our taste buds and thereby gain repeat customers, food companies are
making their products sweeter. Meanwhile, we’ve continued to eat these products
in increasingly large portions, completely unaware of the invisible dangers
lurking within. Although those that don’t already read food labels might not be
affected much, the FDA’s proposed demarcations will help those that do care to
realize just how much sugar is being added to their food.
Unlike the
brouhaha that erupted over New York City Mayor Bloomberg’s ban of big bad
sodas, the FDA has taken a different approach toward rehabilitating the
American diet that is more likely to be efficacious. The nutrition label
proposal is aspirational where the soda prohibition was tyrannical.
It all comes down
to a matter of individual freedom – something Americans are very touchy about.
Bloomberg’s ban took away the right to drink a giant serving of soda; the FDA
proposal gives people the option to make an informed decision for themselves.
Everyone wants their constitutional right to pursue happiness, even that means
pursuing gallons of soda and ice cream on the path to an early death.
It will be months
before we know whether or not the FDA’s proposal will be enacted and still
longer before we can analyze its impact, but I have hope. A change to nutrition
labels isn’t the cure – our national obesity is much more serious than that –
but it may help to inspire and inform Americans as they strive for better
health without forcing them to do anything ridiculous, like eat only a half-cup
of ice cream.
